"Sinn Féin cannot be bought" - Kelly rejects Fianna Fail Mayoral Pact

A veteran Councillor has spoken at his disappointment at not becoming mayor of Wexford, stating that it was difficult but accepting the position would have meant compromising my beliefs.  Cllr Anthony Kelly, a Sinn Féin Councillor for the past fifteen years, rejected a mayoral pact with Fianna Fail at last week's Wexford Municipal District meeting on the grounds that the pact system was undemocratic and not reflective of what the local electorate had voted for.

Cllr Kelly said;

"The pact system has finally been exposed for what it is in Wexford - seedy and undemocratic.  My party colleague, Cllr Mick Roche, and myself had proposed the D'Hondt method being applied to rule out the formation of any pacts.  This method is tried and trusted and ensures proportional representation prevails inside the council chamber just as it does in our electoral system.  It is the fairest system.  Unfortunately this method was not adopted."

"In the last five years things have changed radically in this state.  The electorate has educated itself.  They are no longer prepared to accept the two party system or the political corruption that was so rampant in this country for the past eight decades.  They voted for transparency and certainly did not vote for the nod, nod, wink, wink style politics that goes hand and hand with the pact system."

"I have been a Councillor for fifteen years but I have been involved in politics in my town and county all my life.  I followed my late brother Phil into the council chamber.  Of course I would love to have been Mayor one day, but not if it means selling out my principals and not if it means betraying the people who voted for me.  I hope we have sent a very clear message to the political establishment in this county - Sinn Féin cannot be bought."