SINN FÉIN is now poised to make its most exciting challenge in 26-County politics. This was the message as Sinn Féin councillors from throughout the 26 Counties met in Dublin last weekend to co-ordinate their work on county councils, city councils, urban district councils and town commissions. Among the group were many of the new councillors elected in the local elections in June this year.
The councillors' seminar was opened by Sinn Féin TD and Monaghan County Councillor Caoimhghín O Caoláin TD. He told his fellow elected representatives:
``Sinn Féin won 62 seats on city and county councils, urban district councils and town commissions this year. Particularly significant was our increase from 7 to 21 city and county councillors. Our gains have placed Sinn Féin in prime position to mount our most exciting and formidable challenge in 26-County politics.
``We are now the fourth largest party in this State, a position confirmed by the performance of Aengus Ó Snodaigh in the Dublin South Central by-election. Despite a very low poll, especially in our traditionally strong areas, and a completely new candidate, unknown throughout most of the constituency, we doubled our percentage of the vote and established Aengus as a contender for the fifth seat in the next general election. I take this opportunity to congratulate Aengus and his team in Dublin South Central on their performance.
``The by-election is but the latest example of the growing support for Sinn Féin, support based not only on the positive spin-off from the peace process but built up through years of hard work going back to the early 1980s. I want to pay special tribute today to our longest-serving councillors and those who have battled alone in council chambers, some of you for almost 15 years. Your efforts have ensured that many new colleagues have joined us and that the days of isolation and censorship are a rapidly receding memory.
``In the European and local government elections, we secured the support of over 200,000 voters in Ireland - 117,000 in the Six Counties and 88,000 in the 26 Counties. As I have said, this was a tremendous achievement - but we could have done better.
``There is huge potential for our party but our organisation in many parts of the 26 Counties was such that it did not have the personnel or other resources to tap into the latent support which exists. Our greatest challenge now, therefore, is to fulfill our potential. We, as elected representatives in the 26 Counties, have an absolutely central role to play in ensuring that Sinn Féin's potential is fulfilled, that our number of elected representatives at local and at Leinster House level increases, and that our party grows.''
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