Three FF councillors in Galway opposed to treaty

Ó Cuív support:Three Fianna Fáil members of Galway County Council have joined Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív in his opposition to the EU fiscal treaty in its present form.

Seán Ó Tuairisg and Seamus Walsh in Mr Ó Cuív’s constituency and Tomás Mannion, whose base is in Galway East, have all indicated they are opposing the treaty.

However, former Fianna Fáil senator Nicholas O’Connor does not support the stance of Mr Ó Cuív. He said the treaty should be supported to get the country back on its feet.

Mr Ó Tuairisg told Raidió na Gaeltachta yesterday: “I believe it is a bad bargain for this country. I believe that this Government – Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore – should make an effort to get a better deal on the treaty before it is put before the people of Ireland.” They should tell our EU partners that there was not much chance of the treaty being passed “unless we get a better deal”.

This meant a reduction in the debts and taxes Irish people were paying and in the cuts and “hardship” they were facing.

“There are plenty in Fianna Fáil who are not saying it publicly, but I think they are not very happy with the treaty. It is a pity that we are focusing here on personalities such as Eamon Ó Cuív and Micheál Martin.”

The Galway West constituency council of the party has not yet adopted a position on the treaty. Senior party figures in the constituency said they had not yet received any written directions from headquarters.