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McDaid bombshell stuns grassroots
01.12.09
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FIANNA Fáil grassroots
in Inishowen were reeling yesterday after Deputy Jim
McDaid withdrew his support for the Government
following an internal cumann row.
Tensions between Dr McDaid’s camp and that of his
Fianna Fáil constituency colleague Deputy Niall
Blaney bubbled over at a meeting on Sunday night. Dr
McDaid and a number of his followers walked out of
the inaugural meeting of the new Letterkenny-Milford
cumman after two Blaney supporters were appointed to
leading officer roles. Eleven other positions
remained to be filled at the time of the walk-out.
Dr McDaid, who called for an early general election
in September, wrote to the Fianna Fáil chief whip
Pat Carey yesterday warning he may oppose the
Government in future Dáil votes.
He wrote in the letter: “As a result of a farcical
inaugural meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford CC last
night, I feel compelled to inform you that I have
withdrawn my support from Fianna Fáil. |
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“My views on a general
election are well known. I believe it would be in
the interest of Fianna Fáil and by extension in the
interest of the country. Accordingly, in a voting
situation on the negative side one can abstain, be
absent or against. I have exercised two of those
options in the past and now feel free to exercise
the third, if and when I deem it necessary.
“It was made clear to me last night that I am
superfluous to the requirements |
of Fianna Fáil but I
will not stand over the party being decimated either
locally or nationally," the letter continued. Fianna
Fáil councillors had scant time to analyse
yesterday's bombshell news due to a busy Council
agenda in Lifford. But emergency meetings of the
peninsula's 37 cummain are likely to take place this
week to discuss the local fall-out from Dr McDaid's
decision. Nationally, the Letterkenny-based TD's
decision is another blow to Taoiseach Brian Cowen's
paper-thin majority as he and his Cabinet prepare to
present the country with the most severe budget in
living memory.
Meanwhile,Deputy Niall Blaney was last night
attempting to arrange talks with Dr McDaid in a bid
to seek a resolution. |
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