Sinn Féin members will gather this weekend to select their party’s candidate to contest the new three seat Milford Electoral Area of Donegal County Council in the forthcoming local elections.
Local woman Maria Doherty is hoping to be added to the party ticket at Sunday’s event at the Beach Hotel, Downings.
Doherty, who is the daughter of the former Sinn Féin Vice President and West Tyrone MP, Pat Doherty, has been nominated by the Carrigart Sinn Féin cumann to be the Sinn Féin candidate this May.
Speaking ahead of the convention, Maria Doherty said: “I am deeply honoured to have been nominated by my local Carrigart cumann. Like many young people back in the day and since, I had to leave my home place to earn a living but it was always my dream to return home and to roll up my sleeves for the people of my home parish and the people of Donegal and to put to use the years of experience that I have; years of experience working with NGO’s and the Community and Voluntary Sector in Ireland and working successfully with national and international organisations including state Enterprise and Education bodies.
“For too long, the people of this area have been failed by the old establishment political parties in government after government. One public service after the other has been lost be it post offices, garda stations, public transport or health services. Large numbers of local families are left without a vital broadband connection in a global economy that demands it. Where is the vision for rural communities in Donegal? Where is the fairness?
“I have been living back home for the last year now and if I am selected as the Sinn Féin candidate on Sunday, I will work tirelessly to meet as many people as possible across this Milford Electoral Area over the months ahead and hopefully to join a strong Sinn Féin team on Donegal County Council when the votes are counted in May.”