Third Sinn Féin councillor defects in Dublin

A third Sinn Féin councillor has defected from the party in Dublin.

A Sinn Fein councillor today defected to Labour becoming the party’s fourth local representative to quit in less than a year.

Dublin City Councillor Killian Forde resigned branding the party staid and unresponsive.

It has already lost two elected members in the capital since last June - Christy Burke and Louise Minihan – and a third from Wexford, John Dwyer.

Mr Forde said he joined Labour because it was the only left-leaning party which could help pull the country out of the economic crisis.

“It seems to me that if we are to bring about the change of political direction necessary to ensure that we recover from this crisis and that it is never allowed to happen again then we need a strong party of the left,” Mr Forde said.

“Labour is clearly the only party that can offer that leadership.”

Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore welcomed Mr Forde, who represents the Donaghmede ward, but Sinn Féin accused him of making an opportunist career move.

Veteran councillor Mr Burke stepped down last June claiming he was given watered down support during the Dublin Central by-election campaign with too little funding and not enough posters.

He was followed less than a week later by Mr Dwyer from New Ross Town Council declaring the party had lost the battle for the hearts and minds of the working class. Ms Minihan stepped down in July.

All three are operating as Independents.