Drum resident set for election tilt for SF
A Drum resident will be bidding to claim a seat in South Roscommon for Sinn Féin in next year's local elections.
Joe Harney from Taylorstown was picked to run following a recent selection convention in Monksland Community Centre, attended by MEP Chris MacManus and Roscommon TD Claire Kerrane.
Back in 2019, Mr Harney contested the local elections in the Athlone area of Roscommon, garnering 379 first-preference votes.
Joe, who has been active in a range of voluntary organisations in the local area for many years, is a strong advocate for community development within the South Roscommon area.
Speaking at the recent Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Athlone, he underlined the need for a stronger and better funded council. "Local authorities should have the relevant powers and funding to provide good quality local employment on a range of projects that make a positive impact in our communities. In this way they can be a stabilising force in the economy as well as providing decent jobs and a good quality service to the communities they represent.
“Local authorities are also restricted when it comes to the capacity to develop public housing in their areas. This needs to be addressed. The lack of investment in rural areas and particularly the west of Ireland, needs a specific approach and local councils could play a role in addressing this imbalance," he said.
Sinn Féin has also announced that three other candidates will contest the 2024 elections in Roscommon, and they are Christine McDonagh from the Loughglynn/Lisacul area, who will stand in the Roscommon area, while Scramogue's Rory Williams Doyle and sitting Cllr Michael Mulligan, who has been in the council chamber since 2004, will both run in the Boyle area.
Speaking at the candidate selection conventions in Monksland and Tibohine Community Centres, the party's TD in Roscommon, Claire Kerrane, said it is fantastic to see such a capable team of Sinn Féin candidates selected in Joe, Christine, Michael and Rory.
“I very much look forward to campaigning with them over the next number of weeks and months to ensure that we elect a bigger and stronger team of Sinn Féin councillors on Roscommon County Council that can build on the great work done by Cllr Michael Mulligan over two decades and deliver on the issues that matter locally across our county.”