Sinn Féin wins first seat in Údarás na Gaeltachta poll

SINN FÉIN yesterday won its first seat in elections to the Gaeltacht authority.

Party candidate Gráinne Mhic Géidigh took a seat in the Údarás na Gaeltachta poll for the Donegal area.

Sinn Féin general secretary Mitchel McLaughlin described the victory as a historic breakthrough for the party.

“Sinn Féin stood in this election on our agenda for change in relation to the role of Údarás na Gaeltachta, rebuilding the peace process and campaigning for Irish reunification,” he said.

“Sinn Féin will use our mandate for change and our priorities on the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta will be job creation, reform of Údarás na Gaeltachta to make it relevant, accountable and democratic and an integrated strategic plan, which would look at all the language needs of the Gaeltachtaí.”

Up to 75,000 voters went to the polls in seven Gaeltacht constituencies yesterday to fill 17 elected positions on the Údarás board.

Gaeltacht Minister Éamon Ó Cuív nominates the remaining three people to the 20-member State authority set up in 1980 to promote the economic and social development of Gaeltacht areas and to aid the survival of the Irish language. Fianna Fáil look set to take the most seats up and down the Gaeltacht region, with Fine Gael running second and the Labour Party third.

About 90,000 people live in the seven Gaeltacht areas which cover extensive parts of Counties Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork, Meath and Waterford.

Galway has six Údarás seats, Donegal has four, Kerry and Mayo have two each and Cork, Waterford and Meath are represented by one.

Seán Mac Donnchadh and Colm Ó Ceannabháin who ran for the party in the elections in Meath and Galway failed to secure a seat.