Sinn Féin on Killian Forde defection to Labour Party

dublin | bin tax / household tax / water tax | press release Monday January 11, 2010 00:44 by Makhno

Sinn Féin has confirmed that Killian Forde is to defect to the Labour Party on Monday and calls it a betrayal of Sinn Féin voters and Sinn Féin workers.

Defection of Cllr. Forde to Labour Party a betrayal of Sinn Féin voters and members

Sinn Féin has described the defection of Killian Forde to the Labour Party, taking with him a Sinn Féin Dublin City Council seat in Donaghmede, as a betrayal of Sinn Féin voters and members. It is understood that the defection will be announced tomorrow (Monday) in advance of the monthly meeting of Dublin City Council.

Mícheál Mac Donncha, Chairperson of Sinn Féin in the Donaghmede Ward, and a member of the party's Ard Chomhairle, said:

"Killian Forde was elected last June as a Sinn Féin Councillor, on a Sinn Féin policy platform, with the support of Sinn Féin activists in the local election constituency of Donaghmede. His candidature benefited from the support of the party locally and nationally. He stood before the people as a Sinn Féin candidate and received his mandate on that basis.

“While he, like anyone, is quite entitled to leave the party if he feels it is no longer the place for him, he has no right to take with him the City Council seat he won as a Sinn Féin candidate. His retention of this seat and defection with it to the Labour Party is a betrayal of Sinn Féin voters and members in the Donaghmede constituency, including activists who worked hard over eight years and two local government elections to elect and re-elect him.

"Killian Forde was elected as chairperson of the Council Finance Committee on the basis of his membership of the Sinn Féin group. It is clear now that Killian Forde's support for a Labour Party-sponsored City Council budget that imposes new charges on low income households in this City was a prelude to his defection to that party.

"Sinn Féin will continue to stand side by side with low income families in this City who have been hit by draconian budgets imposed by central and local government. Already Sinn Féin in the Donaghmede ward and in the Dublin North East constituency is moving on from this and we held a special meeting on Saturday to plan the way forward, developing the party and continuing to give principled and effective representation to people in this area and across Dublin."