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Anger in Fine Gael ranks
20.01.11
INISHOWEN Fine Gael
members have expressed disquiet at the manner in
which last weekend’s selection convention was
conducted when the party, on the recommendation on
the national executive, adopted a one candidate
strategy for the forthcoming general election.
Sitting TD Joe McHugh was selected unopposed to
contest the election, with the only other nominee
Cllr John Ryan withdrawing his nomination.
However, Inishowen party members are unhappy that a
decision taken at a local party meeting last week to
endorse a two candidate strategy was not even
discussed.
“We were told that the convention room was
double-booked and had to be vacated by 8 o’clock,
but many felt that was an attempt to stifle debate
on the issue of running two candidates,” an angry
party member, who attended the meeting, said.
“There was no opportunity for delegates to air their
views on the recommendation of the national
executive. There was a lot of frustration that such
an important topic wasn’t aired, and this was the
only forum where we would have an opportunity to do
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“I got a bad feeling
from it. I’d have understood it if it was a Fianna
Fáil meeting, but we’re supposed to be a democratic
party,” the source said.
“Joe McHugh hasn’t come out of this well and he will
have suffered a bit from it. You have to keep your
party members onside and Joe failed this time.
People will still probably row in behind him, but he
has not come out of this well.”
When asked his opinion, Cllr Bernard McGuinness
pointed out that the Fine Gael national executive
reserves the right to add candidates to the ballot
paper up until the deadline for nominations closes,
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Joe McHugh TD |
be some time after the
general election is actually called.
“The directive from headquarters was to select one
candidate and leave the way open to add another,”
Cllr McGuinness said.
“Given the result of the heave against Brian Cowen,
and the Government’s unpopularity, Fine Gael will
likely give serious consideration to a second
candidate and in my opinion there’s a strong
possibility that John Ryan will be added to the
ticket.”
Buncrana Town Councillor Michelle Bradley said
Deputy Joe McHugh is doing a fantastic job in
representing both the Fanad and Inishowen
peninsulas.
“When the national executive decides on a one
candidate strategy then we have to take it on
board,” she said. “Hopefully Joe will go on and take
a resounding victory.
“Fine Gael is going from strength to strength in
this constituency and if not this time then next
time we will take two Dáil seats.”
When contacted, Cllr John Ryan said that he didn’t
wish to make a comment on the outcome of the
convention. However, while indicating that he was
disappointed with the party adopting a one-candidate
strategy, he said that he accepted the decision of
the national executive and intends to offer his full
support to Deputy Joe McHugh in the forthcoming
general election. (Inishowen
Independent) |
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