Doherty rallies Sinn Féin grassroots in Laois

PROMINENT Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty rallied the party’s grassroots in Laois last night, when he visited Portlaoise for a ‘strategic’ members’ meeting.

The private gathering in Portlaoise Parish Centre aimed to galvanise the party locally, as it battles to rebuild after the disastrous departure of three high-profile elected members.

Laois Sinn Féin chairperson Aaron Kelly, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2024 local elections, described the meeting as ‘a strategic move to galvanise local efforts and align with national objectives’.

Long a leading figure in Sinn Féin, finance spokesperson Deputy Doherty gave a spirited address at the meeting, where members included newly-elected Laois Senator Maria McCormack.

Senator McCormack is now the party’s only elected member in the county, following the departure last year of Brian Stanley TD and councillors Caroline Dwane Stanley and Aidan Mullins.

During the meeting, Senator McCormack announced her plans to open a new Portlaoise-based Sinn Féin office in the near future and highlighted the need for ‘enhanced community participation’ by local party activists.

The election of Ms McCormack to the Senate in January has given the party a lifeline, following the loss of all three elected Sinn Féin members in Laois within just four months last year. 

Veteran Portarlington councillor Aidan Mullins resigned last August to become an Independent councillor, while Deputy Stanley’s controversial departure in October was followed by his wife Caroline’s resignation shortly before the new year dawned. Both are now Independent representatives.

After months of mutual recrimination, with Cllr Dwane Stanley accusing the party of running a ‘toxic’ campaign against her husband in last November’s general election, Laois Sinn Féin is striving to rebuild and look to the future, after an ‘annus horribilis’ that left the local party ranks in turmoil.

Following the election of Ballyroan native and Portlaoise-based Senator McCormack, the party at least has one Oireachtas member and will hope to restore electoral success in the years ahead.

In a statement after the Portlaoise event, Mr Kelly said the focus was on ‘reviewing and discussing plans and policies for the year ahead, aiming to strengthen grassroots participation and policy effectiveness’.

He said: ‘Laois members expressed their enthusiasm and commitment following Doherty’s address, acknowledging the importance of cohesive planning and mutual support within the party to achieve their shared goals’.

Mr Kelly said the meeting with Doherty, who is the party’s deputy leader in the Dáil, also gave members a chance to raise important issues with leadership such as housing, healthcare, the cost of living and the shared desire for a United Ireland.

Mr Kelly said: ‘Pearse Doherty's visit to Portlaoise reinforces Sinn Féin's dedication to grassroots engagement, viewing it as essential to implementing transformative policies across Ireland.

‘As Sinn Féin continues to position itself as a prominent voice for change in Ireland, meetings between leadership and grassroots emphasise the party's commitment to staying connected with local perspectives, while driving national progress.’