FF blow as councillor leaves saying party failed to listen

CLLR WILLIAM O’LEARY SAYS PARTY FAILED TO LISTEN TO ORDINARY PEOPLE ON EVERYDAY ISSUES

A FERMOY Municipal District councillor has left Fianna Fáil just weeks ahead of the Local Elections, claiming that the party did not listen to ‘ordinary people’.

Cllr William O’Leary (pictured right) will contest the local elections in June as an Independent candidate after admitting his disgruntlement with Fianna Fáil led to him making the decision with a ‘heavy’ heart but a clear conscience.

Cllr O’Leary said he was a straight-talking individual and has been ‘disgruntled’ with Fianna Fáil for some time.

“I feel the decision I have come to is the right one,” he said.

“Whether you agree with me or not, I would hope that people would see that I put honesty above all else,” he said.

Cllr O’Leary said he held ‘serious’ concerns about the formation of the current coalition government involving Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party in 2020.

“In my five years as a councillor, I have, to my disappointment, observed the failure of my party to listen to the ordinary people on the everyday issues and struggles that they face and to myself as a councillor,” he said.

“I would have voted against the current make-up of the coalition government and held serious concerns in its formation.

“Many of these concerns have now materialised. What makes a good government is an even stronger opposition. That is what keeps a government on its toes.

“When these parties joined in coalition, strong opposition was lost. This left less pressure on Government to listen to the needs of the ordinary people. From there this government has adopted a ‘drive on regardless’ approach,” he added.

“I cannot in good conscience put myself forward as a Fianna Fáil candidate when I know my heart and soul wouldn’t be in it. I feel this would be dishonest.”

CLLR William O’Leary will contest the local elections in June as an Independent candidate after admitting his disgruntlement with Fianna Fáil led to him making the decision with a ‘heavy’ heart but a clear conscience.

Cllr O’Leary is currently a political representative for the Fermoy Municipal District.

Posting on social media on Monday, March 25, he said he has been ‘disgruntled’ with Fianna Fáil for some time.

“...I feel the decision I have come to is the right one,” he said.

“I am a straight-talking individual.

“Whether you agree with me or not, I would hope that people would see that I put honesty above all else,” he said.

Cllr O’Leary said he held ‘serious’ concerns about the formation of the current coalition government involving Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party in 2020.

“In my five years as a councillor, I have, to my disappointment, observed the failure of my party to listen to the ordinary people on the everyday issues and struggles that they face and to myself as a councillor,” he said.

“I would have voted against the current makeup of the coalition government and held serious concerns in its formation.

“Many of these concerns have now materialised. What makes a good government is an even stronger opposition. That is what keeps a government on its toes.

“When these parties joined in coalition, strong opposition was lost. This left less pressure on Government to listen to the needs of the ordinary people. From there this government has adopted a ‘drive on regardless’ approach,” he added.

“I am an independent thinker and I found following the herd on important issues very difficult,” Cllr O’Leary said.

“I cannot in good conscience put myself forward as a Fianna Fáil candidate when I know my heart and soul wouldn’t be in it. I feel this would be dishonest with constituents and dishonest with the party itself, which would lead [to] me just going through the motions for the next number of years.

“This is not what the electorate vote a candidate in for.”

Cllr O’Leary said Fianna Fáil as a party has ‘changed’ dramatically over the past decade “and have abandoned many core values that I would have held dear.

“There are many good people in Fianna Fáil, both elected and ordinary supporters, who say this to me regularly, the party has lost its identity.

“I hope someday that the Fianna Fail party can rediscover this identity.”

Cllr O’Leary admitted it was a difficult decision to make: “I have agonised long and hard over the last number of months about how I can best represent those who elect me.

“I have finally taken the very difficult decision that I must move forward as an Independent candidate in the forthcoming elections. People may put it down to me looking for electoral success but that is certainly not the case.

“I enjoy working with people. I enjoy helping people, and if the people decide that I am not for them, that is their democratic right.

“People will have their say in June, and I look forward to what I hope is your continued support,” he added.

Mr O’Leary thanked his family and close friends for their unwavering support: “I will continue to deliver a genuine brand of public representation to which people deserve and rightly expect. I want to thank, as always, my family and close friends for their unwavering support in the decision I have come to.”