Sinn Fein Councilor Resigns

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Irish Voice News

Sinn Fein Councilor Resigns

November 7, 2007

By Paddy Clancy

SINN Fein is reeling with the shock resignation this week of popular councilor Thomas Pringle.

The Killybegs-based politician resigned from the party in a letter delivered on Tuesday to colleagues in Donegal.

His resignation is the latest in a litany of similar moves by Sinn Fein local government representatives since the party’s disappointing general election campaign earlier this year. It’s estimated the party has lost 20% of its 2004 elected city and county council reps.

Pringle said he was disillusioned with the direction of the party in Donegal and nationally. He felt he could no longer participate in the party structure.

He intends to remain on Donegal County Council and will put himself forward for re-election as an independent in the 2009 local elections. He told the Irish Voice that he is not joining any other party.

“I was a Republican before I joined Sinn Fein and I will continue to be a Republican,” he said.

In a swinging attack on the party leadership both nationally and locally, he said economic policy agreed at the ard fheis (annual convention) was dropped during the general election. Also, he was outraged at more recent developments.

“Since the general election there was an opportunity to develop a bottom up rather than top down approach to decision-making and allow the party to develop and grow. I regret that this opportunity has been missed,” he said.

Pringle emphasized his outrage at the leadership’s apparent willingness to enter coalition “with anybody” in its eagerness to gain power.

“They haven’t but it’s not because they weren’t willing to. It’s because none of the other parties would speak to them,” he said. The 40-year-old was first elected to Donegal County Council in 1999 as an independent. He also contested the 2002 general election as an independent.

By 2004, when he was re-elected to the council, he had joined Sinn Fein.

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