Green candidate wants to be voice of the SMEs

The Green Party election candidate in Galway West says he can be the voice of small and medium businesses in the Dáil.

And cheesemonger Seamus Sheridan says it is “nonsense” the perception that the Greens are anti-farmers. “I am the farmers’ friend,” he insisted.

Mr Sheridan added: “I am the only one of the 19 candidates in Galway West who deals with farmers and producers from up and down this country on a daily basis. It suits the IFA to demonise the Greens but the fact is that right across Europe small farmers are voting for Greens in huge numbers. Who is the head of the small farmers’ union in the EU? It is Green MEP Jose Bove.”

Mr Sheridan says he deals with 450 small farmers and producers weekly, through his famous cheese shop and business.

A Dubliner, he arrived in Galway in 1994, and set up a stall in Galway Market 23 years ago, a business that has expanded to four shops in Galway, Dublin, Meath and Waterford, as well as a thriving export business for Sheridan’s brown bread crackers.

“Not only have I survived the recession but I’ve grown my staff from 50 to 100 people during the worst economic crisis,” he said.

He would use this business acumen in the Dáil to help build a “robust and resilient” economy into the future, he said.

“Labour is concentrating too much on the public service and Fine Gael has diverted attention towards the big multi-nationals. We do need foreign direct investment from the multi-nationals. but we cannot ignore the value of Galway’s indigenous small and medium shops and businesses,” he said.