Minister’s claim on by-election ‘insulting’ to voters in Donegal

TOURISM & CULTURE Minister Mary Hanafin’s claim yesterday that there is no demand for a by-election in Donegal South-West is insulting to the people there and factually wrong, Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty has said.

He pointed out that the last Irish Times poll showed 6 out of 10 voters wanting a by-election without any more delaying tactics by Mary Hanafin’s government.

On Monday, the High Court in Dublin granted Pearse Doherty leave to appeal the Fianna Fáil/Green Party Government’s failure to hold a by-election to fill the seat vacated by TD Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher when he was elected to the European Parliament in June of last year.

“Two-thirds of voters say they are not happy with the Government's stalling tactics in putting the vote to the people. What other figure or percentage would Minister Hanafin accept as a clear indication of a majority democratic demand? Her comments that a by-election is only in the interest of politicians are an outrage to the people of my constituency?”