FF candidates were like lambs to the slaughter
It was also on the back of that fiasco for the party when councillors and candidates were sent out like lambs to the slaughter.
While acknowledging the pressures imposed by our EU presidency at the time, the fact is that no FF cabinet or junior minister visited South Tipperary during the campaign.
While I have no doubt that all of the exchequer resources available will be ‘rolled out’ for the next general election to enhance their own electoral prospects, in marked contrast, recent local election councillors and candidates were starved of the resources required for numerous worthy causes.
An example would be Clonmel hospital which has benefited from a €25m investment but the entire project is on hold for want of €2.5m for staffing for the remainder of 2004.
Fianna Fáil candidates got ‘hammered’ for this, yet a week after the disastrous local election outcome, 1,000 new jobs (welcome as they are) were announced at Guidant, Clonmel.
Talk about bad timing and adding insult to injury from the candidates’ point of view.
Furthermore, the almost daily dictates emanating from Government Buildings, “you can’t do this, you can’t do that,” have led a significant percentage of the public to believe that, yes, we do live in a police state.
Not for the first time in government has Fianna Fáil become arrogant, to the detriment of backbenchers and councillors while grassroot supporters are totally despondent.
Fianna Fáil, rightly, should be worried about Sinn Féin and other radicals, but more in the interests of those of us who actually care for the party.
We should address not only the challenge of Sinn Féiners from without, but the greater problem of Mé Féiners from within, coupled with nepotism and the retention of dynasties.
All are strangling the party.
Cllr Niall Dennehy
23 Inislounaght
Clonmel
Co Tipperary
