30 August 2007 Edition

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Regret at Councillor's resignation

Reacting to media reports that Councillor Jimmy Fleming has left Sinn Féin to join Fianna Fáil, the Chairperson of the Party in County Wexford, Seamie Davitt expressed his disappointment at the decision.
Speaking on Wednesday Davitt said: “Sinn Féin is an organisation of political activists. We are not career politicians. We have a clear political ideology that is a million miles from the main establishment parties.  We are about empowering local communities and working to ensure that everybody benefits from the wealth created in this country.  We believe in the right to housing; we believe in the right to universal healthcare free at the point of delivery; we believe that every child should have the opportunity to a full education all the way through to Third level and we believe in working for a united Ireland. Fianna Fáil don't.
Jimmy’s decision to leave Sinn Féin, while regrettable, was not a shock to party activists who attended last nights Comhairle Ceantair meeting.
“We would ask Jimmy to honour the pledge he took when he was elected as a Sinn Féin councillor and to stand down and allow for the co-option of another Sinn Féin member. The people of Gorey and north Wexford who elected Councillor Fleming did so on the basis of a Sinn Féin political platform he stood for – they have a right to have their political choices respected.
“In the meantime Sinn Féin will continue to organise and expand in the county as we have done over the recent months with seven new cumainn already on stream and another number ready to be convened. And at the next local elections we are determined to grow the number of representatives we have right across the county, including north Wexford.”

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