Republican News · Thursday 4 April 2002

Sinn Féin cyberspace lift-off

Donegal South West Sinn Féin constituency party's website was launched last week by Pat Doherty. The MP for West Tyrone praised the site's high standard of technical excellence and, in particular, the facility that enables new and postal and disabled voters to download application forms. "This innovation means that the Donegal SW site is ahead of the government's own technology," he said. "Sinn Féin, through www.sinnfeindonegal.com, is the only political party to have offered this online facility to the electors."

General election candidate Pearse Doherty said that "each week, issues of local and national importance will be raised on our website. A contacts page features a map. By clicking on any one of 20 names scattered throughout the constituency, visitors can e-mail a Sinn Féin member and have information about the political and social activity in that particular locality".

Pearse Doherty also spoke about some of the less serious aspects of the mainly bilingual website. "We will have a weekly 'brown envelope' competition and this should attract great interest. It is meant to be a satirical, light-hearted look at politicians but will also report on some of the more grotesque political malpractices, past and present," he promised.

A notice board will give weekly updates of events. Last week's inaugural highlights were the Easter Sunday Drumboe rally, a Hunger Strike Exhibition at Ionad Teampall Chroinne, Dungloe, and the Sinn Féin disco on Easter Saturday night in Gortahork was also flagged up.