Hanaf in: If I had not run then
MARY HANAFIN has said her decision to defy party orders and stand for Fianna Fáil in the local elections has been vindicated after the party looked set to clinch two seats in the six-seat Blackrock ward of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown council.
The former minister said the controversy that erupted over her decision to run is now water under the bridge and she looks forward to working with Micheál Martin as party leader.
‘I’m absolutely thrilled with the way it’s worked out,’ Ms Hanafin said.
‘I understand from the tallies that we will take two seats and that I will be elected on the first count and Kate Feeney will also be elected which is a great result in a sixseat constituency.
‘I notice the way Micheál Martin has said that things could have been handled differently and let bygones be bygones and I agree absolutely,’ she said.
Mr Martin took a more conciliatory tone than previously and suggested the row had actually rallied support for Fianna Fáil.
‘A good old-fashioned row can gather resources and come out with a great result, which seems to have happened with Kate Feeney and Mary Hanafin,’ he said.
‘Obviously we weren’t