Burke quits Sinn Féin

Dublin city councillor Christy Burke has resigned from Sinn Féin, it has been confirmed this afternoon.

Mr Burke who lost out in the Dublin Central byelection to Maureen O’Sullivan on Friday was re-elected on the second count in Dublin’s North Inner City constituency as a councillor.

Mr Burke has been a Sinn Féin member for 40 years and a councillor for the party for 25 years.

Chairperson of Dublin Sinn Féin Aengus Ó Snodaigh described the decision to resign from the party “only days after being elected on a Sinn Féin mandate” as “disappointing not least because it runs totally against the commitment which he made to the party and electorate only weeks ago when he sought and received the endorsement of Sinn Féin election convention”.

"Christy fought the council and by-election campaigns under the Sinn Féin banner with the full support of the party," Mr Ó Snodaigh added.

"He has been a republican activist all of his life and is recognised for his contribution. He should now honour the commitment that he made only weeks ago and return what is a Sinn Féin seat to the party."