Roche joins the Sinn Féin ticket in Wexford

A Bridgetown man has been chosen as the second Sinn Féin candidate to contest next year's local elections in the Wexford District.  Mick Roche will join Cllr Anthony Kelly on the ticket after winning a packed selection convention in St Josephs Centre last week.

Speaking after the convention Mr Roche was quick to extend his gratitude to the local organisation and to commiserate with the other candidates on the night. 

"It's great to see so many good people putting their names forward to seek election under a Sinn Féin ticket," Mr Roche said.  "I made the decision because I see Sinn Féin as being the only real opposition to the political corruption and economic mismanagement that has destroyed my country.  Justifying hammering ordinary families with austerity while those at the top end of society are still giving themselves pay rises shows how out of touch Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Labour are with reality."

Mr Roche said that his own community in Bridgetown had been abandoned by the establishment parties.  "We only see these people coming in when they want something, usually before an election.  Bridgetown has been left to rot.  We have boarded up houses, no adequate resources for our children and a lack of Garda presence since the closure of the station in nearby Baldwinstown.  It's not good enough."

Mr Roche said he would be campaigning on issues of local concern such as lack of investment in local employment, the plight of the fishing community in local Kilmore Quay, crime prevention and traffic safety.  Cllr Anthony Kelly congratulated Mr Roche and said he looked forward to working closely with him in the future.