A former Sinn Féin Assembly member for Fermanagh-South Tyrone who resigned from the Party at the end of last year in protest at heavy-handedness at the top and now operates as an Independent has been challenged to hand back his seat.
The resignation of Gerry McHugh, and the suspension of fellow Councillor, Bernice Swift, cropped up at Friday night's Sinn Féin open meeting in Ballyconnell.
The Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, who was asked during a 'question and answer' session what the Party was doing about Mr McHugh, referred just briefly to the matter.
"I spoke to Gerry McHugh", he told the audience, "and I said it's our seat. I reminded him he had won the seat on behalf of Sinn Féin and was given the Sinn Féin mandate. So, write to him and ask him to do that. He told me he would not do it, and that's that".
The Sinn Féin meeting in Ballyconnell was organised to mark the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, and to review progress.
However, Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin, the Sinn Féin TD for Cavan/Monaghan, took a much more vigorous stance to the poser and, when he had finished, he was roundly applauded.
He told Seamus Greene, who had asked the question, that he had raised a very important point, and he stated that it was not something peculiar to Fermanagh.
"It riles me because in every election I have stood in, going back to 1985, as with every other (Sinn Féin) candidate, we signed a pledge to this Party. Today, there is little or no respect shown to the value of that pledge by the person you have identified, and by others in this constituency and in other parts of Ireland, and it diminishes that Party".
He described the signing of the pledge as 'a little bit casual', and he suggested that, in future, the signing of the pledge of loyalty to the Party be witnessed.
Bernice Swift had earlier held a private meeting with Gerry Adams in her role as project director of Firinne which lobbies for justice for the families of Nationalist victims of the Troubles. Along with her chairman, Pat Cox, she had brought along, among others, the sisters of one of the two victims of the Pitchfork Murders, and Angela D'Arcy (British soldiers were subsequently convicted in relation to each).
Pat Cox, who had complained about roads in Fermanagh, indicated he would be raising the issue of her suspension, but didn't follow it up.
However, speaking to the 'Herald' afterwards as chairman of Firinne, he said he was 'disappointed' that her suspension had not been dealt with. Instead, Ms Swift was handed down a 12 months' probation.
"It should have been sorted out long ago. There was no reason for this suspension whatsoever. There was no point at the time in raising it with Gerry Adams. I would have preferred if Bernice had been there. She could only attend the first part of the meeting and had to go away. But, it was in my mind. She should never have been suspended".
