PERRY DECLARES TO RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
FORMER TD and junior Minister John Perry will contest the next General Election as an independent candidate.
Perry, who lost his seat at the last election, failed to get the party’s nomination to run again with Fine Gael opting for councillor Thomas Walsh along with Senator Frank Feighan to contest Sligo/Leitrim in an election that could be called as early as February or March.
Ballymote native Perry (63) is turning his back on a party he has represented for 19 years in the Dáil including as Minister of State for Small Business from March 2011 to July 2014 when Enda Kenny was Taoiseach.
Perry had sought the nomination to run again for the party and was interviewed but after much procrastination Fine Gael went with Cllr Walsh last week.
Ironically, Cllr Walsh worked as parliamentary assistant and also as a Ministerial Aide to Perry and they are now facing off against each other in the forthcoming election.
Perry told The Sligo Champion that he wanted to become a strong, independent voice for the people of Sligo/Leitrim and that he was also vastly experienced.
“It would be a great honour again for me to represent this constituency. I know the issues that are relevant in a rural environment and its communities including the farming one and they need a strong voice. Everyone can see how effective an independent voice has been in Europe for this area and I have no doubt that I can replicate that in the Dáil over the challenging period ahead,” he said.
The former chairman of the Public Accounts Committee said he would be appealing to all constituents for their support.
“As a member of the Dáil you are a messenger for the people, to fight their case and to work tirelessly on their behalf. My only affiliation will be to the people. I will not be constrained by any party,” said Perry who went to the High Court in a much publicised spat with the party in order to be added to the ticket at the last General Election after he had raised concerns over the manner in which Fine Gael held its local convention.
“I am delighted to take this opportunity to run and I will be doing my utmost to hold the government to account and to maximise and deliver any benefits for this region.
“I have given a lifetime of dedicated service to the people of this region and I look forward very much to engaging directly with voters on the doorstep.
“I won’t be schackled by any party or be entrapped by promises from ministers. I’ ll be back doing a job I enjoyed best,” he said.
Meanwhile, councillor Walsh was added to the party’s General Election ticket last week. Cllr Walsh (34), from Ballygawley, was added to contest the constituency during a meeting of Fine Gael’s Executive Council.
It is the first time he will contest a General Election having won his council seat last May in the Sligo-Drumcliff electoral area.
“I am honoured and privileged to have been selected by the Fine Gael party and to stand with other people, including Senator Feighan, who have stepped forward to run in this crucial coming election. I accept the nomination with a deep sense of gratitude to those that have confidence in me to be one of the Fine Gael candidates in the Sligo, Leitrimconstituency.
“I pledge that I will put every possible effort into getting Fine Gael back into Government. My election party campaign will be marked out by its enthusiasm, by its policies and by plain old-fashioned hard work and by a successful election outcome.
“My track record of project and political success to date is grounded in my energy, sense of initiative, enthusiasm and commitment to serving the needs and interests of the public.
“I believe in a positive political style of campaigning and politics. I plan to be part of the solutions team. As a new Fine Gael candidate for the next general election,
“I am focused on the need to bring a new energy to democracy and to politics.
“Having experience of being a practical representative at local level, I am familiar with the nature of public representation work and what it involves - meeting people, listening to their concerns and working to help local development which is a rewarding and challenging experience,” Cllr Walsh said. He has a degree in Public Health and Health Promotion from Sligo IT and is a former student of Kilross National School and Coola Post Primary School.