The outgoing Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council has used the closing address of his term to announce his resignation from Fianna Fáil, saying the decision was forced upon him.
Gorey-Kilmuckridge Councillor Joe Sullivan told the council’s AGM that “he felt backed into a corner with nowhere else to go” and that he would continue to serve as an Independent representative.
His resignation comes after a turbulent few months for councillors in Wexford amid disagreement over the presence of fuel protesters at a council meeting in March.
In a statement subsequent to his resignation speech, Cllr Sullivan, first elected in 2014, cited five reasons for his departure from Micheál Martin’s party.
He said he disagreed with Fianna Fáil’s support for the abolition of the triple lock as well as the party’s directive to its councillors prior to last year’s Presidential Election.
“I believe that the facility of nominating a presidential candidate is one of the very few powers county councillors have and the subsequent shambolic performance of Fianna Fáil where their candidate withdrew from the contest vindicated my position and highlighted the ineptness of the Fianna Fáil councillors on Wexford County Council and their inability to read the political mood as it was unfolding and indeed did feed into one of the greatest political embarrassments ever to befall the State,” he said.
Cllr Sullivan also expressed dissatisfaction with Fianna Fáil’s approach to the Mercosur deal and the Larry Murrin-Bord Bia controversy.
He also said he came in for a “torrent of abuse” for allowing fuel protesters attend the council chamber, adding that he “got absolutely no support whatsoever from Fianna Fáil councillors, in fact one learned councillor chipped in to offer his support to my detractors”.
“I can no longer stay in the Fianna Fáil party as there is no forum to discuss my issues nor do I have the support from my two district councillors or party TD Malcolm Byrne,” he added.
Reacting to the announcement, Deputy Byrne said: “I’m sorry to see Joe has decided to leave the party but wish him well for the future. It was a pity that he decided to leave having had Fianna Fáil support to put him in as Chair for the last year.”
Cllr Sullivan’s resignation from Fianna Fáil is not regarded as a major surprise among political observers in Wexford, however, it has seen Fianna Fáil lose its lead position on Wexford County Council.
It also has the consequence of the party losing its lead position in local Government nationally for the first time in over 12 years, with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to be tied on 247 seats when an imminent co-option is completed.
At today’s council meeting, councillors voted by 22 votes to 11 for Fianna Fáil’s Lisa McDonald to become the new Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council.
However, Cllr Sullivan voted against his former party colleague and instead plumped for Independent Cllr Pat Barden.
Reacting to events, Independent Councillor Michael Sheehan said: “Since Christmas there has been a turn in this chamber and not for the better. The last few meetings have been some of the roughest.”
Cllr Sheehan also resigned from Fianna Fáil prior to the last General Election to run as an Independent.
Minister for Housing James Browne was among the Oireachtas representatives present at today’s meeting, with Cllr Sullivan praising his now former party colleague for his “excellent work”.