FF Cllr in Conamara who supported immigration protests defects from party

A Fianna Fáil Councillor who supported protests against a proposed immigration centre which were criticised by senior figures in the party has told RnaG that he will not stand for the party in the local elections.  

Mar chuid d’agallamh spéisiúil ar an gclár Adhmhaidin inniu, dúirt an Comhairleoir, Séamus Breathnach, a fuair suíochán ar son Fianna Fáil i gConamara i 2019, nach mbeadh sé ag seasamh don partaí arís.  

He told the programme that he had informed the party headquarters that he would not stand for them again. 

Sheol sé teachtaireacht go gceann áras Fianna Fáil le déanaí ag cur in iúl dóibh nach mbeidh sé ag seasamh ar son an pháirtí sa toghchán áitiúil i Mí Meitheamh, a dúirt sé. 

Councillor Breathnach spoke out in support of his fellow Fianna Fáil Councillor Noel Thomas who had his home raided by Gardaí shortly after Christmas this year. 

This followed the burning of the former Ross Lake hotel at Roscahill on December 16 where protests had been held to object to the proposed placing of around 70 persons who had applied for asylum in the building.  

Both Councillors had made it clear that they did not approve of the fire and had had nothing to do with the fire. 

As we reported at the time:  Cllr Breathnach told this publication that he regarded the raids as “intimidatory” and openly speculated that the initiative for them may have originated at “Leinster House, Mount Street (referring to Fianna Fáil headquarters) and whoever else”.

Labhair Walsh agus Thomas amach go láidir ag tacú le muintir na háite a bhí i gcoinne úsáid an óstáin mar ionad don teifigh.  Dúirt siad nach raibh an t-óstán feiliúnach le haghaidh timpeall seachtó dhaoine. Ní raibh na seirbhhisí riachtanach ann agus ní raibh an cheantair réidh i aon slí chun an méid teifigh a thabhairt isteach.

Tá sé ráite ag Breathnach cheana go bhfuil seisean faoin tuairim go bhfuil Fianna Fáil ar strae mar páirtí. “Níl Fianna Fáil ag obair ar son na ndaoine ar an talamh,” a dúirt sé le linn an agallamh ar maidin.”Gach uile lá tá polasaí craiceálte ag teacht amach astu.”

Fianna Fáil ar not working for the people on the ground, he said, and every day they issue more insane policies. 

He was also highly critical of the overall approach of Micheál Martin as leader of Fianna Fáil and claimed that the Tánaiste was forcing the party and its representatives to march in line with the policies of the Green Party.

Among the damaging policies which he alluded to was the emphasis on teaching children, even as young as primary school age, about sexual identity.  He claimed that this was a matter of great concern and even fear for the parents of children who are wary of what is being forced to be taught to their children in the schools. 

Ceist eile ar labhair Breathnach fúithi ná cúrsaí tithíochta. Dúirt sé gur fadhb mhór í seo i gConamara áit a raibh deacrachtaí ag daoine cead pleanála a fháil le teach a chur ar fáil dá bpáistí ar a dtalamh féin.

Mar a tharlaíonn i bpobail Ghaeltachta eile, ní hamháin go bhfuil tionchar aige seo ar dhaoine a bheith in ann áit chónaithe a fháil.

Mar is léir ó dhaoine i nGaeltachtaí eile seachas Conamara tá fadhb mór maidir le lóistín a fháil chun daltaí a freastalaíonn ag na cúrsaí sa Ghael Coláistí.  Bhí Breathnach ag caint faoi mhuintir Conamara ach tá an port céanna a sheinm i Gaoth nDobhair, Corca Dhuibhne, Múscraí agus an Rinn.  

As has been said previously, the Gaeltachts are under enormous pressure from the same forces that are leading to tens of thousands of young people choosing to leave their own communities throughout the country.  The most pressing of these is the fact that even people, including couples, who are earning reasonably good salaries and who qualify for a mortgage are unable to afford a home close to where they live and work.

The Gaeltachts are a special case as a combination of factors are undermining the ability of these communities to survive as Irish speaking areas.  If local people cannot afford homes in the Gaeltacht they will be bought by persons using them as holiday homes, or by companies who will rent or lease them.

There is also the fact that the Gaeltachts are being forced to take in a large number of people who have come to Ireland from overseas.  This is impacting schools and their ability to maintain themselves as Irish speaking schools rather than being obliged to teach English.  All of the factors threaten to endanger the social and linguistic cohesion of parts of the country that the state has an obligation to ensure are not undermined further by such threats. 

Níl Breathnach ag éirí as a shuíochán agus tá sé i gceist aige seasamh mar chomhairleoir neamhspleách sna toghcháin áitiúla. Tá iarrthóirí eile agus páirtithe beaga ann a bheidh ag tabhairt dúshlán na bunaíochta polaitiúla sna Gaeltachtaí ar na ceisteanna céanna le Breathnach.