FF official may face expulsion for backing non-party candidate

THE secretary of a Fianna Fáil cumann, who yesterday admitted he was one of 15 people that signed a register approving the nomination of a former party member and independent election candidate, could be expelled from the party for his actions.

Michael Kirwan, secretary of the cumann in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, admitted he was one of the assenters in the nomination of independent councillor, Dixie Doyle. Mr Doyle, a former Fianna Fail councillor, left the party several years ago, when he was not selected as a party candidate in a local election.

Mr Kirwan, a Peace Commissioner, said he was one of the party which travelled to Kilkenny on May 20 to propose Cllr Doyle for office. Cllr Doyle was re-elected while Fianna Fáil lost out heavily in the Kilkenny County Council electoral area.

He said yesterday that he has nothing to hide and was proud to nominate his neighbour for office. The admission follows revelations on local radio station, that Mr Kirwan could be expelled from the party.

"As a Peace Commissioner, I have no problem signing documents for anyone.

I am the Michael Kirwan who signed the form. I signed the document and had no problem signing it for Dixie Doyle or anybody be they Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour or anyone."

The matter is far from over and the local cumann has tough decisions to make, according to Paddy Daly, secretary of the Fianna Fáil Comhairle Dáil Ceanntar. He added that it was against party policy for a person in such an office to support any opposition candidate.

"Every organisation has a constitution. And our constitution says that the national executive shall have the power to expel from membership of the organisation any member who has supported any candidate contesting a Dáil, European or local government election in opposition to a Fianna Fáil candidate, or who in the opinion of the national executive is guilty of conduct unbecoming of a member of the organisation."