Sinn Féin has announced its team of candidates to contest the 2004 local elections in county Wexford. The candidates were chosen at a specially held convention of party members in Murphy Floods Hotel, Enniscorthy, on Sunday (August 17th).
At the last local elections in 1999 the party won a seat on each of the four town councils in Wexford and are now highly confident of further increasing the number of Sinn Féin elected representatives in county Wexford.
Encouraged by the significant increase in the vote for Sinn Féin in county Wexford at last years general election, the party has now selected its largest ever team of candidates who will contest all of the electoral areas in the county.
In Enniscorthy; sitting town councillor Noreen Sheridan has been reselected to stand for both Enniscorthy Town Council and for Wexford County Council. Noreen, an employee of the ESB in Enniscorthy is also a valued member of the United Methodist and Presbyterian Church in Enniscorthy and so exemplifies the best traditions of 1798 Wexford Republicanism.
In the Wexford district, sitting Councillor, Anthony Kelly, has been reselected for Wexford Borough Council and will be joined by County PRO, David Forde, as the party aim to win two seats on Wexford Borough Council, while County Chairperson Maurice Roche from Screen has been selected as the Wexford district candidate for Wexford County Council.
In New Ross, Leinster Sinn Féin Chairperson and sitting town councillor, John Dwyer was selected to contest both New Ross Town Council and Wexford County Council. John Dwyer will be joined on New Ross Town Council by anti-incineration spokesperson Ger Barron and also by Bernie Murphy, with the party targetting three seats on New Ross Town Council.
Sitting Gorey Town Councillor Jimmy Fleming was selected as the party's nominee for Wexford County Council for the Gorey District, while County Secretary Sandra Ryan will join Jimmy Fleming in Gorey Town, as the party seek to win two seats on Gorey Town Council.
Speaking after Sundays convention, county Chairperson Maurice Roche said:
"Sinn Féin are approaching these local elections determined to lead the way as agents for change. That means real change and it means fundamental change. It means an end to the 'Golden Circle' type of politics which have prevailed for far too long in this county.
"To represent Sinn Fein is a singular honour and we expect the very highest standards from our representatives.
"None of us selected to represent Sinn Féin are carried away by the career aspects of the role. We are not about getting elected for the sake of it. We are agents of change. And we are in the business of empowering people and transforming society.
"Sinn Fein represents the future. We intend to use our increasing electoral and political strength to build the New Ireland of Equals and we have never been better placed to make the case for social justice and equality for all.
"Sinn Féin are very clear and agreed on the political project we have undertaken. We aim to promote and secure the national and democratic rights of all sections of our people. We want to give voice to those who are tired of the litany of deception from this government. We want to build democracy from the ground up and reconnect people to the political process.
"We are about creating a new dynamic in Irish politics.
"A vote for Sinn Féin is a vote for people power over centralised bureaucracy. A vote for Sinn Féin is a vote for a radical alternative and an end to the 'Golden Circle' brand of politics that has failed to serve the people of Wexford for far too long."
