Sinn Féin TD and General Election candidate for Sligo/Leitrim/Sth Donegal and north Roscommon, Martin Kenny has hit out mischievous misrepresentations of his party by political opponents and elements of the media as part of the General Election campaign.

Martin Kenny said:

“The Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin has made ridiculous assertions regarding Sinn Féin and the role of our Ard Comhairle.

“Like any other party, including Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin has a governing body, part of the role of which is to ensure that our representatives abide by the policy platform on which they are elected.

“Fianna Fáil candidates sign a pledge in which they promise to resign if their Ard Comhairle tells them to. So, Mícheál Martin is being very politically dishonest on this issue.

“Meanwhile, I completely reject the characterisation of Sinn Féin by my former party colleague Peadar Toibín.

“As we all know, Peadar left Sinn Féin when he failed to win support in the party for his position on one particular issue.

“His statements in the Irish Independent about TDs having no influence just don’t stack up. If they were true, you would imagine that Peadar would have left Sinn Féin long before he lost the debate on a policy position at an open Ard Fheis, which was voted upon by the membership.

“I bear no ill will towards Peadar, but the reality is that he is now a candidate in this election and is competing with Sinn Féin for votes. What he is saying has to be seen in this light, and what he is saying is totally inaccurate and untrue.

“I find it odd that certain elements of the media would give such prominence to the groundless allegations by Sinn Féin’s political opponents when the tiniest amount of fact-checking would show that they are without merit.

“People know me well enough. They know that I am not one to be bullied or dictated to by anyone. That is why I find these statements by political opponents to be so utterly far-fetched and ridiculous.”

ENDS