Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

New faces step in as dual mandate ends

BY JOANNE CORCORAN

As the new dual mandate law kicks in throughout the 26 Counties, Sinn Féin has been selecting an impressive bunch of new candidates to step into existing council seats. The four Sinn Féin TDs who hold local authority seats are affected by the new legislation.

On Sunday, Kerry Sinn Féin selected Toireasa Ní Fhearaiosa, daughter of Martin Ferris, to replace her father on Kerry County Council. Toireasa studied in UL and received an Honours Degree in Law last month. She said she was very proud to have been selected and even prouder to be a member of a party with the courage and foresight to select a young female candidate. She said that, at 23 years of age, she will be one of only two women on Kerry County Council, which sends a strong political message to the people of Kerry.

"The fact that you, the members of Sinn Féin, who have been demonised and persecuted so much over the last 30 years, have selected me, a person who joined Sinn Féin at the age of 16 when it was certainly easier and more popular, says a lot about your dedication to the cause of Sinn Féin," said Toireasa. "This seat never belonged to my father and it will not belong to me. It belongs to the people and that will never change."

She added: "Sinn Féin can help reinstall faith amongst my peers in the political system. This government and the governments of the past have failed our young people, with their cosy-cartels and their politics of brown envelopes, corruption, and deception."

Following this trend of young candidates, 27-year-old Tomás Sharkey has been selected as replacement for Arthur Morgan on Louth County Council. Addressing the convention, Arthur Morgan said: "I am amazed that four years have passed since I was elected to the Council, it seems more like 19 or 20. At times I felt like I was ploughing a lonely furrow. However I am convinced that after next year's elections my replacement will be part of a strong Sinn Féin team."

Tomás, from Kilkerley, is a secondary school teacher of Irish and history and was active in student politics during his time in Queen's University and Maynooth College. He thanked the convention for selecting him, and added: "I hope I can be as effective a councillor as Arthur has been. If they thought he was a difficult customer, wait 'til they meet me!"

Louth was busy with conventions last week, selecting four new candidates for the South Louth area for next year's local elections.

Mathew Coogan and Imelda Munster were selected to stand for Drogheda Borough Council and for Louth County Council. Dom Wilton was selected to run for Drogheda Borough Council while Tom Cunningham joins the Louth County Council ticket.