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“Don’t lecture me” - MacLochlainn
24.03.09
War of words erupts
between Inishowen election candidates
A WAR of words has erupted between two of
Inishowen’s election candidates with Sinn Féin’s
Padraig MacLochlainn insisting he will not take
‘patronising lectures” from Fianna Fáil candidate
Charlie McConalogue.
The row erupted yesterday when Mr. McConalogue
issued a statement saying that it is not possible
for Cllr MacLochlainn to hold three elected
positions.
"It was ironic to hear Padraig MacLochlainn call
recently for Donegal to be put first when he is
playing it fast and loose with the electorate in
Inishowen and Donegal. Cllr MacLochlainn is now
planning to contest three separate elections on June
5th when in fact he will only be legally allowed to
take up one of the three positions should he be
elected to Europe. Three jobs into one politician
doesn’t go," Mr McConalogue said. |
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However councillor
MacLochlainn blasted back by saying he would “not
take patronising lectures on the subject of
representing the people of Inishowen by someone who
has not yet served one day as an elected
representative on their behalf.” |
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In his statement Mr.
McConalogue who is hoping to win a seat on Donegal
County Council for the first time in the June
elections said that legislation does not permit
someone to hold a European Parliament seat and a
local council seat so Cllr MacLochlainn would not be
able to take up his seats on Buncrana Town Council
and on Donegal County Council to represent Inishowen
if elected to Europe.
"Inishowen needs candidates who are committed to
serving them if they are elected on June 5th. It is
not putting Inishowen first to run for election when
you may not be able to serve voters and instead have
seats filled away from the ballot box by an internal
Sinn Fein Party co-option.”
However MacLochlainn who is a member both of
Buncrana Town Council and Donegal County Council,
says he has never made any secret of the fact that,
as far as he was concerned, he would be putting the
people of Inishowen first.
"It was an honour to be selected by my party to be
selected as their European candidate but I made it
very clear from the moment I was asked to stand,
that while I believe that there is a real fighting
chance of being elected to Europe, I am determined
to continue representing the people of Inishowen at
what ever forum I can and that the most effective
way to achieve that is to seek to retain my seats on
Buncrana Town Council and Donegal County Council as
well as contest the European seat.”
McConalogue also said that this “type of political
job hopping is not is not the type of commitment
that voters are entitled to expect when they cast
their ballots for candidates to represent their
area.”
However councillor MacLochlainn asserted that the
Fianna Fail candidate was more worried about the
fact that from his first electoral contest back in
the 2002 General Election up until the 2007 General
Election, the gap in support between Sinn Féin and
Fianna Fáil in Inishowen narrowed by a massive 5,000
votes. (Inishowen Independent) |
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