Ex-SF councillor named as Fianna Fail’s first runner here... or is she?

Fail announced its first ever candidate to stand in an election in Northern Ireland — and then promptly sparked confusion by claiming no decision had been made.

Sorcha McAnespy is expected to stand in next May’s local election.

Fianna Fail, currently the main opposition party in the Republic, is due to unveil a number of other candidates in the future.

Ms McAnespy, a member of the party’s national executive, is already an independent councillor for Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

She left Sinn Fein in 2016 after accusing the party of “nepotism and misogyny”.

Party leader Micheal Martin, who has long pledged to contest elections north of the border, has informed her she will be a candidate next May.

The move comes amid ongoing speculation that Fianna Fail might ultimately merge with the SDLP to run in future elections here.

The party’s director of elections Eamon O’Cuiv TD and Senator Mark Daly attended an event in Omagh, Co Tyrone, last night to announce Ms McAnespy’s candidature.

The pair will be her joint campaign managers.

“I am delighted Deputy O’Cuiv and Senator Daly agreed to come to Omagh this evening to launch my campaign following my invitation and have both agreed to be my campaign managers,” Ms McAnespy said.

“There is an appetite for change in Northern Ireland and there is an appetite now more than ever for Fianna Fail to contest elections in Northern Ireland.

“Micheal Martin made the commitments in 2013 to contest local elections in 2019 and I was delighted when he confirmed I would be a candidate for Fianna Fail in the upcoming local elections in 2019.”

However, minutes after the announcement a tweet appeared on the party’s Twitter feed contradicting the news.

The tweet stated: “Despite some reports, the party has made no decision with regard to contesting the 2019 NI local elections.

“The party is continuing its discussions with the SDLP.”

Established in 1926, Fianna Fail has long claimed to be Ireland’s true republican party. As such, it has faced questions about why it would not contest elections on a 32-county basis.

Its eventual decision marks a significant move in the political landscape on the island and comes when the debate over Irish unity has gained renewed traction due to Brexit. Mr O’Cuiv said his party would offer “fresh thinking” in Northern Ireland.

“I believe that Fianna Fail standing in the North will help to give proper representation to the people concerned with the day-to-day issues, we will offer fresh thinking and challenge the status quo of Sinn Fein and DUP which has led to the shutting of Stormont and dysfunctional politics,” he said.

Senator Daly said he expectFIANNA