Former Tanaiste Mary Coughlan has expressed her disappointment with so-called ‘new politics’.
Speaking to Ocean FM following the cooption convention in Donegal town last night, Ms. Coughlan ruled out any return to local or national politics.
The former Deputy leader of Fianna Fail was one of many members of the party who gathered at the Millpark hotel for the convention to fill the seat of the late Councillor Sean McEniff.
Full report:
Laghey’s Mícheal Naughton is spending his first day as Donegal’s newest Councillor today after he was successful in coming through the cooption convention last night.
The general manager of the Clanree Hotel is also well-known as the manager of the Ladies Senior Football team.
However, the convention and campaign was clearly an opportunity for delegates and party members in south Donegal to regroup and highlight the vision of the party going forward.
While waiting for the votes to be counted sitting TDs Charlie McConologue and Pat the Cope Gallagher spoke – highlighting the party’s vision to get back into government.
They also took the opportunity at least once to hit out at the new leadership of Fine Gael with Deputy Gallagher stating ‘substance’ in a politician is more important than ‘style’.
One of the unsuccessful candidates Billy Grimes, himself a former Town Councillor in Ballyshannon said getting new and paid up members needs to be a priority for Fianna Fail locally.
The event heard that there are 700 members in the Donegal electoral area yet just over 200 of them were paid up and eligible to vote.
In his speech Billy Grimes praised this as a more positive campaign than in years gone by:
Speaking to Ocean FM following the cooption, Former Tanaiste and deputy party leader Mary Coughlan ruled out any return to local or national politics:
She also hit out at so-called ‘new politics’ but stated that within Fianna Fail new people are needed:
Full interview of Mary Coughlan speaking to Ocean FM’s Claire Mulcahy here:
