BY CONOR SHARKEY

AS local politics go, Tuesday, October 30 was an historic night for Strabane.

It was the night that local Sinn Fein representatives finally said yes, they would give their backing to the current policing institutions in place in Northern Ireland.

But why now? Why five seats? And how do they believe the decision will be received within the communities they represent?

This week, the Strabane Chronicle spoke to Sinn Fein's Strabane spokesperson Gerard Foley to find the answers.

WHY?

"Why are taking our seats now? Because earlier this year we held an Ard Fheis where it was decided that if we wanted to move forward we would have to take our seats on the various District Policing Partnerships.

"In Strabane, we are entitled to five seats and the party got together and said we would take them all. As was evident from Tuesday night's meeting, the decision has the full backing of all our members on the council," he said.

Looking to the future and what it holds now that he and his fellow councillor's will sit down for direct discussion with members of the PSNI, Mr Foley said: "We don't know what to expect or how it will go yet. It's a learning process for us, but we will be working for the betterment of our community. We are looking forward to it. We are looking forward to the challenges and we will face them all head on. It's part of our duty as elected representatives to do the best for the people who elected us and that's what we intend to do."

But how will the news be received in nationalist strongholds across the town and are party members expecting a similar backlash to those in Belfast who have been receiving threats since taking their seats?

"When it came to the last election and the Ard Fheis, our supporters knew we would take our seats. This has been on the table for some time, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

"Different parties have different issues to face, this is one of ours. We were voted in by the people of the Strabane District to represent them and do our best for the community. The policing issue had to be faced sometime and now that time has come." he said.

"Earlier this year we held an Ard Fhéis where it was decided that if we wanted to move forward we would have to take our seats on the various District Policing Partnerships."

– Gerard Foley