Sinn Fein 'to force' byelection issue

The Government is being brought “screaming before the courts” by Sinn Féin on the issue of the three outstanding byelections, according to the party’s Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

As Sinn Féin’s think-in got underway in Dublin today, Mr Ó Caoláin said the High Court would hear a case by Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty on October 18th which is designed to force the Government into holding a byelection in Donegal South-West.

“Sinn Féin are the only party that are bring this Government screaming before the courts in order to force them to not only have the Donegal South-West byelection but Dublin South and Waterford,” he said.

Mr Ó Caoláin described the recent controversy over Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s radio performance at the Fianna Fáil think-in in Galway as “a modern-day example of Nero fiddling while Rome burned”.

He said Sinn Féin would contest up to 40 constituencies, “maybe all 43 constituencies”, in the next election but did not have a target number of seats it aimed to achieve.

However, he said Fianna Fail had “about a snowball’s chance in hell” of entering coalition with Sinn Féin after the election. He also described the leader of the Labour Party Eamon Gilmore as a “political fiancé” to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.

Mr Ó Caoláin said a commission should examine what could be done to bring the National Assets Management Agency (Nama) to an end as soon as possible. “It is time to bring this madness to an end.”