DUBLIN WEST BY-ELECTION | INCREASED VOTE FOR SINN FÉIN

Fingal County Council seat target

» BY ROBBIE SMYTH

PAUL DONNELLY’S performance in the Dublin West by-election showed further growth for Sinn Féin in Donnelly’s second outing for the party here.
The 8.9% vote share signals a strong likelihood of the party winning back the Fingal County Council seat won here in the 2004 local elections.
An Phoblacht spoke with Seamus Hazlett, the Dublin West campaign PRO, who said that although every candidate obviously likes to win elections “it was good to get an increased vote”. He said there was an even better reception on the doors this time around compared to last February in the general election.
Hazlett said the party polled well in both the Castleknock and Mulhuddart local election areas. He was also pleased as this campaign had spread into new areas such as Carpenterstown and Castleknock with “new people joining up through the canvass and some old hands coming back” – good for the party’s future growth in the constituency.
The main issues raised on the door included bed closures and fears for a greater rundown of services in Blanchardstown Hospital as well as unemployment and emigration. Hazlett said that jobs were the key issue door-to-door, wherever they went during the canvass.
It was a big effort in the campaign with Northern Assembly members and MPs such as Michelle Gildernew and Conor Murphy coming out to canvass for Paul Donnelly while Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams were also on the campaign trail in the constituency.
Dublin West

   Vote    % of poll

1997    2,004    5.0%

2002    2,404    8.02%

2007    1,624    4.78%

2011 (Feb)    2,597    6.1%

2011 (Nov)    3,173    8.9%