'Attack dogs within Fine Gael are out'- Conlan TD

Following his dramatic resignation from the party yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, November 24), former Fine Gael Cavan-Monaghan Deputy Sean Conlan has accused the party of sending out “attack dogs” in a bid to “spin” the reasons for his resignation in a negative context.

“Since my resignation, it is clear to see that the attack dogs within Fine Gael are out, trying to spin the reasons for my resignation into a negative context. Let me be clear the only reason for my resignation are the reasons as stated above.

“So I wonder what the great and powerful have in store next? I am reading this evening through the national media that I am now expected to be charged over an assault that took place on me in my family Bar last summer,” says Deputy Conlan, who will stand as an Independent for the constituency for the next General Election.

Deputy Conlan's resignation came less than 24 hours after his 2011 director of elections, Councillor Hugh McElvaney, the longest serving party member in the county, and former party leader on Monaghan County Council, also quit the government party.

Both cite issues regarding the controversial Eirgrid North South Interconnector, and concerns that the government are failing to listen to local views on the matter.

Deputy Conlan has also stated that he is resigning “because of individuals within Fine Gael who were attacking me because of stances I took” on various issues, and declared that sections of the media had a role to play in “assisting these individuals who wanted to keep me quiet”.

“I said on the RTE Six One News and on The Sean O'Rourke show last year that if you speak out in Fine Gael you will be punished and this is exactly what I feel has happened to me with sustained attacks on my character in the media since that time. I spoke out about the behaviour of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys TD in appointing John McNulty to the board of IMMA and his appointment as Fine Gael's nominee for the vacant Seanad seat. Their actions at the time ultimately led to Fine Gael losing the seat and losing the Government's majority in the Seanad for the first time in the history of the State.'

In a statement to The Anglo-Celt yesterday evening, Deputy Conlan added: “As the grandson of a man who fought for the independence of this country, who was interned for his involvement and released on the day after the Treaty of Independence was signed and the son of a man who represented the Fine Gael Party for 49 years in County Monaghan I am not angry but deeply saddened and disappointed by what has been done to the Fine Gael Party by those at the top.”

The Fine Gale party responded by saying only that the party notes that Deputy Conlan had decided to resign from the Fine Gael party and they 'wish him well for the future'.

“Fine Gael continues to have a strong team in Cavan/Monaghan with Minister Heather Humphreys and Joe O’Reilly TD. The party will run a vigorous campaign in the constituency to allow us to continue our work to keep the recovery going,' the party statement said.