Having previously represented the Sligo-Leitrim constituency in the 29th Dáil between 2002 and 2007, Marian Harkin was again elected as an independent TD in 2020. Previously, she was elected as an MEP for the North-West constituency in 2004 and again in 2009. During the 2014 European Parliament election, Harkin was elected to represent the Midlands-North-West constituency before stepping aside ahead of the 2019 election.
How did your political career begin?
Literally, it started on the Late Late Show. As an audience member, I intervened in a discussion about western development. The following week, at a local meeting to select two delegates to go as representatives to the Leitrim Core Group of Developing the West, it was generally agreed, ‘that one can talk’. They sent me on that mission and that was the first step, even though politics was a million miles from my mind at that time. There is a longer story, but not for here.
What are your most notable achievements in the Oireachtas to date?
Firstly, the introduction of the Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2021 to allow credit unions to better serve the needs of their communities and for proportionate regulation for credit unions vis-a-vis other financial institutions. The Bill has now passed second stage.
Secondly, I was one of the signatories of the Simon Community Bill which has also passed second stage. This Bill gives an extra period of time to individuals/families who must leave their current accommodation, so that local authorities and NGOs like Simon can become involved and assist them in finding alternative accommodation.
Thirdly, at the very beginning of the pandemic I strongly lobbied both the then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD and the then Minister Regina Doherty TD to extend the emergency rent supplement to victims of domestic violence and thankfully this was approved. In this context, I want to thank Safe Ireland for all their assistance and support in helping me make the case. I am happy to say I was pushing an open door, but it is the role of the Opposition to push those doors open.
Most recently, in January 2022, we got news that the Cabinet has changed its mind and decided on four Search and Rescue (SAR) bases for the entire country and that Sligo Airport will be one of the bases. Last week, the Government were only committing to a minimum of three bases, and I raised the issue with the Tánaiste on the floor of the House seeking guarantees on the retention of the SAR base in Sligo, so it definitely helped!
What is unique about representing the Sligo-Leitrim constituency?
After representing 11 counties for 10 years and then 15 counties for a further five years in the European Parliament, you get an overall perspective of different counties and regions and what makes them unique. In fact, the constituency I represent is Sligo, Leitrim, north Roscommon, and south Donegal. There are similarities and differences between all four counties.
South Donegal does not want to be part of the constituency, separated from the rest of Donegal, and one can see why. North Roscommon is in a similar situation.
Leitrim, as the smallest county was split into two different constituencies at one time and had no elected representative as a result. So, a sustained campaign ensured reunification of the county.
Sligo has had many well-known representatives in Dáil Éireann, Ray McSharry, Ted Nealon, and of course, the first female government minister in Ireland and Europe, as well as the first woman elected to the British House of Commons, Constance Markievicz. Markievicz represented Dublin, not Sligo, but was of course a Sligo woman.
“My top priority remains working to ensure a fair share of investment for the north-west.”
The constituency has not received its fair share of investment and funding over many decades and the evidence for this is irrefutable. However, with focused emphasis on balanced regional development, with our stunning landscapes, our better quality of life, with greater opportunities to work from home, with an increasing emphasis on sustainable agricultural production, with a speedy rollout of broadband, and with the recent designation of the Atlantic Technological University, this constituency can finally reach its potential.
What are your priorities going forward?
My top priority remains working to ensure a fair share of investment for the north-west and indeed all of the regions. Balanced regional development is just that, a balance of development so that all those who live in the regions have opportunities to work there and have access to decent services.
Unless regional development is policy driven, it will ultimately fail because it ends up as a bit here and a bit there, with every politician trying to shout louder than their neighbour. Divide and conquer works, because then everyone is focused on grasping whatever few crumbs come from the table, instead of sitting down like adults and sharing out the cake.
After that, my other top priorities are advocating for carers, people with disabilities and credit unions, ensuring sustainable agricultural production and focused rural policy, tackling inequality, helping to ensure adequate funding for the education sector, including lifelong learning, as well as support for the voluntary and community sector.
How can the technical groups maximise their impact in the lifetime of the 33rd Dáil?
As an independent member of the European Parliament who was part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group, I can compare and contrast, as it were. While I fully understand that there are fundamental differences between how we operate in the Dáil and the European Parliament, nonetheless, I think that there are lessons we can learn. One of the major drawbacks for independent TDs who are members of technical groups, as distinct from political parties, is that political parties receive much greater resources per TD for research, for administration, for back up and this really puts independent TDs at a disadvantage.
Our primary role is to represent our constituents and a significant part of that is the influencing and shaping of legislation and holding government to account. That requires access to information, detailed research, good administration, and assistance in policy formulation. All of that requires significant resources and the technical groups and their members are at a significant disadvantage. When I was a member of the European Parliament, the resources I received to carry out my work as an MEP were exactly the same as the leader of our Group, Guy Verhofstadt, or the then President of the Parliament. They received extra resources to assist them in their specific roles, but as MEPs, we were all equally resourced.
However, in my constituency of four TDs, I receive 55 per cent of what my colleagues and their parties do. It is important to note, this does not refer to salaries, but to resources to support my work. Finally, I do not believe we need to increase the overall level of resources, but we need an equitable share out.
What are your interests outside of the political sphere?
Reading both fiction and non-fiction and my fervent hope for 2022 is that I can add walking to that. Not hiking. Not mountain climbing. Just plain old walking!
