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THE LABOUR MAYOR of Tuam has resigned from the party in protest what she believes was a snub last year when a seat on the county council became vacant.
Mary Loftus told TheJournal.ie that she was not considered for the council seat left by Colm Keaveney when he was elected to the Dáil for Galway East – and that the seat was instead given to a candidate with less political experience.
Loftus said she had topped the poll in the 2009 town council elections, and that when Keaveney had been elected there was “a Labour seat which automatically I thought I’d be entitled to.”
At the party convention to choose the candidate to be co-opted into Keaveney’s seat, however, Loftus said only four members were eligible to vote – and that the election was skewed against her.
Instead, the seat was given to Sean Cuniffe, the other Labour member of the town council, whose election was 2009 was his first time holding office. Loftus has been a Labour member since 1978, and said she was inspired to join the party when she studied under Michael D Higgins at University College Galway.
Loftus said she was also motivated to leave by Labour’s performance in government and its partnership with Fine Gael.
“We’re sliding down the slope faster than even we know,” she said this afternoon. “There’s nobody doing anything about the people with mortgage arrears – people who are up to their eyeballs, some committing suicide, over the worry of not being able to pay their mortgage.
“That is the crucial and most important thing – this country will never come out of decline unless there is money flowing back into the coffers,” she said.
I am not a fan of Fine Gael by any stretch of the imagination – Mr [Michael] Noonan had loads and loads of changes to use our veto against Europe to cut down on the bailout. If he’d pushed to the limit we could have gotten a lot more.
Referring to Noonan, Loftus added:
As far as I’m concerned, he’s a moron.
Loftus will remain as mayor of Tuam but said she would now sit as an independent councillor, and that she would contest any election she could against Keaveney “in every election he runs in” in protest at his role in the local Labour organisation.
Keaveney, who was elected chairman of the Labour Party earlier this month, said Loftus had been a “fine public servant” and acknowledged her “dedication and commitment to her community”.
“It’s a difficult decision for anybody to make, and I respect her decision,” he said. “If there’s a legacy issue there for her, she’s more than welcome to talk to me about it.
“Politics is very challenging and it’s’ a very challenging time to involve yourself in civic and public life… that carries a heavy toll on our local politicians,” he said.
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I wonder if she was selected would have resigned on the basis of Labours abysmal performance in office …( me thinks not )….
Good man Turlough, spot on!
A Labour member speaking of ‘entitlements’ ! Dear oh dear. And not getting what she feels she’s entitled to, she flounces out of the party. She’s a bit het up now and is going to fight future elections on the issue of her not getting what she feels she’s entitled to! Ireland is going to hell in a hand-basket: Massive social and economic inequality; massive private debt; and political, financial and religious corruption – and the Mayor of Tuam is going to fight elections on political entitlements. Good luck with your worship!
This is supposed to be a Republic and in no way should ANY elected office be seen as a legacy! No wonder politics is in disrepute.
Yawn
“there was a seat there which I automatically thought I’d be entitled to”
There you have it folks, the sense of entitlement which is prevalent in Irish politicians wrapped up in one succinct sentence.
It just goes to show that there is no such thing as meritocracy in Irish politics. Its more about “I’m here the longest so I’m entitled to it’ than ‘I’m the best candidate for the job because I achieved X,Y and Z and represented my constituents better than anyone else’
Now would someone please give Mary Lofus back the rattle she threw out of her pram, she’s entitled to it.
You beat me to it Derek.
There goes that word again ‘entitled’
You’re also entitled to feck off!
So is it really about the electorate Mary, or about your personal ambition to be Mayor of Tuam?
Not Mayor of Galway City, they have their own Mayor (just about warranted)
Not Mayor of Galway County, they have their own Mayor too. (I kid ye not)
But Mayor of Tuam. They have their own council too. Not sure about an army, or customs.
There is just WAY too many local politicians.
Spot on. All these people care about is getting there picture in their local paper with a big chunk of metal around their neck saying “look at me, i’m great”.
Headline is priceless!
Why does Tuam even have a mayor anyway?
Jump Ship.
Missing out on all that pay and expenses I’d say!!!!!!
Love the way she says she was entitled to the seat. Surely in a “democratic” party like Labour her branch would vote on such a thing? Course not, not one shred of democracy in the Labour Party.
Her branch did vote on it! Her problem is that she was rejected. She could vote herself as she was not a paid up member. Loftus hasn’t been a member of Labour for some time now as she has not paid her membership fees for over four years now (just €15 per year).
Four members were eligible to vote, would they be the four people in the room who wanted to vote for the other guy? Sounds dodgy to me. Look at what happened to Ray Fitzpatrick last year in Laois/Offaly, the Labour Party is not democratic.
Just goes to show how unsuited she was for politics to begin with.
In going out with a bang she’s focused her statement on how SHE didn’t get anything as opposed to how LABOUR isn’t getting anything in government (her argument, not mine).
She had a perfect opportunity to put the pressure on the Labour leadership to abandon the coalition, but her sense of entitlement means the rest of Labour can now just dismiss her as being upset over a seat as opposed to caring about Labour in government.
Dave my friend, you speak to much sense at times. Will ya quit!! :p
Her opinion of noonan is one i completely agree with !
Fair play to you but Why not come on board with the people of Ireland and Join the Campaigns against Austerity like House Hold/water/septic tank Charges Cut backs on SNA’s Pensions levies double taxes Like PRSI and USC’s Politicians wage Increases And resign from labour party
No addition u would be better of without her
Joan Burton short-changed with her ministerial appointment.
Nessa Childers bullied over the Cardiff debacle.
Now, Cllr. Loftus recieving rough treatment from an increasingly mysognistic Labour party.
I’d say any woman would be wise to give them a wide berth.
Joan Burton was short changed because, while she’s electorally sound, she’s utterly insufferable to both the people of Ireland in general and also, one must imagine, the majority of her colleagues. It’s not because she’s a woman, it’s because her style of ‘informed debate’ is “I SHOUT LOUDER THAN YOU AND KEEP REPEATING WHAT I’M SAYING!”
There are much better reasons to leave Labour at the minute. A party that will be (more) irrelevant after the next General Election.
“entitled to”. Your entitled to sweet Fup all.
However having 4 people vote for a nomination is a bit much.
Tuam is not really a Labour stronghold. We were stunned in Dublin when Labour took a seat there in the last GE. Four was the total amount of paid up members who turned up to vote.
After Cork South West, Labour’s Galway East seat will be amongst the first to go in the next election.
Agreed David. One of many unless things improve. Seat should have gone to Lorraine Higgins.
Lookit the greedy head on her sure.
That is all.
Sorry ‘if she ‘..typing on phone here
When I first saw this I thought she was the first elected labour to jump ship because of how Labour has sold themselves and their supporters out. After reading a few lines I see is she just selfish woman who is only concerned with her own politic future.
At least when the Greens sold their soul to the devil (FF), over half of their members left in protest, credit to their members.
Boo hoo!
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