Cllr. Rachel Doherty has said that she pulled out of the forthcoming Fianna Fáil Selection Convention for the General Election because of the in-fighting within the party in Co. Roscommon.
She gave a very forceful address at a meeting of her party’s Boyle Comhairle Ceanntair on Tuesday night in Cortober, Carrick-on-Shannon.
Cllr. Ivan Connaughton felt the full force of her anger. A total of 57 delegates attended the meeting, which sources described as very heated.
It is understood that Cllr. Connaughton received a very hostile reception from numerous party members because of his recent criticisms of the party.
Cllr. Doherty said that she was withdrawing from the race for a Dáil seat because of her annoyance with Cllr. Connaughton and due to the dispute between Athlone councillors Paddy Kilduff and John Keogh.
The Cootehall-based politician said: “There are the two matters.
“There is the very, very serious matter of the dissention and the conflict and the unresolved internal feuds within the party, in terms of south Roscommon.
“Then, there are the comments coming from Ivan Connaughton back as far last December. I attempted to address those matters with Cllr. Connaughton a number weeks ago, asking him to clarify his position, whether he was going to be an Independent or whether he was going to remain within Fianna Fáil.
“He hasn’t clarified that.”
