Sean Campbell / Josie Donnelly Sinn Féin Cumann AGM
Published: 30 January, 2009
The annual general meeting of the Sean Campbell / Josie Donnelly Sinn Féin Cumann took place in Dundalk on Monday January 19th. A new officer board was elected filling the posts of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, PRO, Tresurer and Organiser. The first meeting of the year then got underway with two items on the agenda; local and European elections and the current economic crisis.
Councillor Jim Loughran addressed the meeting by asking for a maximum effort in 2009 to maintain and expand the party's electoral base, particularly at local government level.
Cllr. Loughran stated, "We need to turn the crisis in the economy into a crisis for the current Fianna Fail / Green Party Government. The public must use their votes to express their outrage at how the Economy has been managed incorrectly. We in Sinn Fein demand to know how the Government allowed our country to slip from economic boom to economic bust in such a short space of time. These elections are an opportunity for everyone to send a clear message of dissatisfaction to the Fianna Fail/ Green Party coalition."
Party activists will embark on a programme of work starting in February, which includes leaflet drops and door to door canvassing in order to outline the work at local level the party has been involved in during the past 12 months and also to identify the needs for the year ahead.
Arthur Morgan spoke next , explaining some of his ideas on the current economic crisis. He slated the government for being completely obsessed with bailing out the banks, Anglo-Irish Bank in particular.
"Anglo-Irish Bank rode on the crest of a property wave, lending almost exclusively to builders and property developers, now everyone knows 'you don't keep all your eggs in the one basket', so when the property bubble did burst they were hopelessly exposed, and now we, the taxpayer are being left to pick up the tab for their outrages banking practices."
He reminded everyone of a constituent who spent several days in jail for not having a dog licence, yet individuals such as Sean Fitzpatrick who have assisted in the bankruptcy of our country appear to have walked away blameless,' Morgan went on to say,"…sick and immoral are the only words I can use in public to describe what has happened."
With cutbacks and budgets being slashed in every service; health, education, public transport and local services, Arthur Morgan has called for the strengthening of Local Community Employment Schemes and a more effective management at local level to maximize the good work that these schemes carry out.
Finally the TD called for the support of all Sinn Fein voters in the North Louth area in the challenges we are due to face in the year ahead.
For further comment contact Cllr Jim Loughran at 087-7475069
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