Another SF Councillor going?

[oceanclub]

The Shinners clearly have a problem but the discussion to date on p.ie has generated more heat than light. Is it to with with the Northern leadership, economic policy, or whatever?

Yeah, this is someone I and I imagine others would love to know as well.

P.

[KingKane]

A lot of it too is that SF elected reps are paid by the party not by the state, they get the average industrial wage, with the rest being paid in to the party coffers to fund growth. If you were a young councillor with a family in the "Celtic tiger" era, who was putting in the 60-70 hour weeks that a lot of SF councillors in Dublin seem to do, then it is a massive strain on your family life, and you know that if you are driving a taxi or working as a plumber or a sales rep. that you are going to be doing a lot less work for a lot more money.Increase their salaries for feck sake. I think the party needs to provide better support to all its elected reps, esp. in Dublin, where the population ratio to councillors is so much bigger, and as you say above where the work load is bigger as well.

In part the problem for local reps is that people over sold what they could reasonable do (that goes for more than the SF reps) in 2004. I would say that vast majority of the work that cllrs do has nothing to do with the job of being a councillor and everything to do with getting elected as councillor. It's the barmaid's cleavage, nowt to do with the job they're paid for and it has become necessary because some others did it and now it's expected of all of them. And post 2004 I think a lot of people realised that it wasn't very productive and in fact quite soul destroying to do it knowing that many of the people you did things for wouldn't be bothered voting for you anyway, even if they voted at all.

[oscartango]

Aw, the poor diddums.

[Verso]

I love the wilfull blindness that allows people (by which I mean SF sheep and other party careerists) to think that SF councillors are resigning because the job isn't living up to their expectations, I mean there couldn't possibly be any other reason, could there?

[ON THE ONE ROAD]

I'm not commenting in any way on Dwyer or Burke here.
Theres one big elephant in the room with regard to Sinn Feins success in the South and thats the decommissioning of the IRA.
Like it or not Sinn Fein, due to their association with the IRA, were seen as a party that could get things done that others (including the Gardai) couldn't.
Anti Social Behaviour, drug dealing and other issues were dealt with using a nod and a wink or indeed threats.
Part of Sinn Feins initial growth in the republic was (aside from the existing Republican sympathisers) in working class areas where nobody else could do anything or indeed were bothered doing anything.
There are of course many in Sinn Fein who were fantastic community workers such as Nicky Kehoe and Dessie Ellis.

had some one say that to me over the weekend. in terms of perseption there may be some truth to it though in reality i think there was a lot of myth to that. but still.

[Endoftheworldasweknowit]

Cllr John Dwyer has confirmed on South East Radio's "Morning Mix" his resignation from Sinn Fein. He will sit as an independent on New Ross Town Council. His concern at the rightward trend of policy in Sinn Fein, the unequal distribution of resources internally in the movement and poor support for him from HQ as well as his treatment by Gerry Adams who warned him against "waving the red flag in Wexford" at a meeting attended by about 50 activists are cited as grounds for resignation.

[bradán feasa]

Slán go foil John, best of luck with your new endeavours

[Kerrygold]

had some one say that to me over the weekend. in terms of perseption there may be some truth to it though in reality i think there was a lot of myth to that. but still.

Of course its a myth. The re-election of Martin Ferris in 2007 and the substantial increase in the SF vote in North Kerry in the locals proves that hard work, a visable organisation and a decent PR machine will reap dividends.

[Tiernanator]

A lot of it too is that SF elected reps are paid by the party not by the state, they get the average industrial wage, with the rest being paid in to the party coffers to fund growth. If you were a young councillor with a family in the "Celtic tiger" era, who was putting in the 60-70 hour weeks that a lot of SF councillors in Dublin seem to do, then it is a massive strain on your family life, and you know that if you are driving a taxi or working as a plumber or a sales rep. that you are going to be doing a lot less work for a lot more money.Increase their salaries for feck sake. I think the party needs to provide better support to all its elected reps, esp. in Dublin, where the population ratio to councillors is so much bigger, and as you say above where the work load is bigger as well.

Really good point. I do think that our councillors have not been given enough support and many of them do sterling work in their local communities. They aren't usually from well off backgrounds and can't do politics as a hobby like some others.

However I think your earlier posts are quite relevant in reality what you have been describing is not an abandonment of Sinn Féin by it's councillors or supporters but a parting of the ways that comes from the strains of left/right debate within the party. Whether this debate has been formally acknowledged it is taking place right now. I feel that Sinn Féin is at a crossroads. I would welcome the debate opening up totally about our long term function and role both in the south and north of Ireland.

I personally never had any attachment to any particular party name it was alway the cause for me I am a republican socialist and therefore my politics are as left as they are republican. I long for the day that Sinn Féin and Labour become one party and a 32 county party at that. Let the right wing of Sinn Féin go to Fianna Failure they would be better off there really. I know many republicans in the Labour party and many socialists in Sinn Féin. We need to start talking. If our leaderships wont then we the membership need to start the dialogue at a local level.

[Tiernanator]

Yeah, this is someone I and I imagine others would love to know as well.

P.

I think respectability and the getting to the mainstream is the core objective of some in the leadership of the movement. However the real issue here is about supporting young working class councillors to do their work and allowing them to make alliance with parties and independents that suit their local needs. I think the top down management of Sinn Féin is a big problem. However people in the party don't accept it readily. The leadership needs to find a way to allow our councillors and representatives to use their own intellect and not just toe the party line. I think this is an issue for all parties to be honest. However Sinn Féin people are very loyal but not sheep.