Republican News · Thursday 14 February 2002

McCole stands in North central

Frances McCole has been selected as the Sinn Féin candidate in the constituency of Dublin North Central for the forthcoming general election in the 26 Counties. McCole is currently head of the party's National Training Unit and has been a member of the party for 17 years.

Dublin North Central is a key constituency for the future development of the party in the capital. The fourth and final seat was taken by Labour's Derek McDowell in 1997 with a mere 2,800 first preference votes and he is widely perceived as being vulnerable. The party is hopeful that McCole can at the very least give Labour a scare and set Sinn Féin up for the next local elections. And if the swing to Sinn Féin continues, she may do even better than that.

Frances McCole grew up in County Tipperary and was educated in Maynooth College, where she graduated in Theology and Philosophy and was active in the students' union. She did her postgrad in Adult Community Education and moved to Dublin in 1985, where she became a VEC teacher.

She currently teaches early school leavers in a Community Training Workshop at Larkin Community College in Dublin's north inner city. Although a first time candidate for the party, her involvement in education in the area and her role in the development of Dublin Sinn Féin as Education Officer has give her an insight into the problems in the constituency and across Dublin.

"There are many major issues being raised on the doorsteps of Dublin North Central but they can all be traced back to decades of neglect. There is a shortage of facilities for children and our schools are scandalously underfunded and this is the supposed result of an economic boom," said McCole.

"This government has squandered the economic wealth that so many worked so hard to create. The lack of an Accident and Emergency service for young children in Beaumont Hospital is risking the lives of some of the most vulnerable members of society. I support absolutely the campaign of my colleague, Cllr Larry O'Toole, to obtain these facilities and I pledge to pursue this issue in Leinster House if the voters of Dublin North Central elect me as the radical alternative to the failed politics of the establishment parties."