|
Council
|
Councillors
|
SF
Councillors
|
%
+/-
|
Council
|
Councillors
|
SF
Councillors
|
%
+/-
|
| ANTRIM |
19
|
13%
= 2
|
+
1
|
DOWN |
23
|
17%
= 4
|
+
2
|
| ARDS |
23
|
0%
= 0
|
0
|
DUNGANNON |
22
|
36%
= 8
|
+
3
|
| ARMAGH |
22
|
21%
= 5
|
+
2
|
FERMANAGH |
23
|
33%
= 9
|
+
4
|
| BALLYMENA |
24
|
1%
= 0
|
0
|
LARNE |
15
|
4%
= 0
|
0
|
| BALLYMONEY |
16
|
11%
= 1
|
0
|
LIMAVADY |
15
|
25%
= 4
|
+
3
|
| BANBRIDGE |
17
|
4%
= 0
|
0
|
LISBURN |
30
|
16%
= 4
|
0
|
| BELFAST |
51
|
28%
= 14
|
+
1
|
MAGHERAFELT |
16
|
44%
= 7
|
+
2
|
| CARRICKFERGUS |
16
|
0%
= 0
|
0
|
MOYLE
|
15
|
10%
= 1
|
0
|
| CASTLEREAGH |
23
|
2%
= 0
|
0
|
NEWRY
& MOURNE |
30
|
39%
= 13
|
+
5
|
| COLERAINE |
22
|
0%
= 0
|
0
|
NEWTOWNABBEY |
25
|
5%
= 1
|
+
1
|
| COOKSTOWN |
16
|
33%
= 6
|
+
1
|
NORTH
DOWN |
25
|
0%
= 0
|
0
|
| CRAIGAVON |
26
|
21%
= 4
|
+
2
|
OMAGH |
21
|
40%
= 8
|
+
2
|
| DERRY |
30
|
30%
= 10
|
+
2
|
STRABANE |
16
|
40%
= 7
|
+
3
|
1.
THE DAY THE MAP CHANGED
*
Sinn Fein elect 4 MPs, 108 local councillors
2.
Historic Nice treaty vote provokes debate, disdain
* 'No' wins by 54% to 46%
THE
DAY THE MAP CHANGED
The
political map in Ireland has been transformed as
a result of polls held in both parts of Ireland
on Thursday. A dramatic surge in support for Sinn
Fein has pushed the party into poll position as
the largest nationalist party in the North and within
reach of becoming the largest party at the next
election. In the Westminster elections, statistics
showed that Sinn Fein had some 50.9 per cent share
of the nationalist vote, compared with the SDLP's
49.1 per cent. The party gained two seats from the
Ulster Unionist Party while Ian Paisley's DUP also
gained two.
In
the local elections, the party ended with a total
of 108 seats, (an increase of 34), and is set to
take the mayoralty of Belfast city council following
the victory of Joe O'Donnell as the first SF councillor
in east Belfast. Friday was a day of high drama
as results emerged which showed Sinn Fein's Pat
Doherty taking the West Tyrone seat from the Ulster
Unionists and defeating a challenge from the SDLP's
agricultural minister Brid Rodgers. In a recount
in Fermanagh/South Tyrone, Sinn Fein's Michelle
Gildernew emerged victorious taking the seat from
the Ulster Unionists, by a majority of just 53 votes.
The UUP said it would make a legal appeal over alleged
electoral malpractice.
In other areas, the DUP's Nigel Dodds won North
Belfast after a collapse in support for the aging
Cecil Walker of the UUP; Iris Robinson took Strangford
from the UUP's David McNarry; and Gregory Campbell
defeating sitting UUP MP William Ross in East Derry.
The UUP's Lady Sylvia Hermon made a gain for the
Ulster Unionists in North Down defeating UKUP leader
Robert McCartney; and David Burnside winning back
South Antrim from the DUP's Rev William McCrea.
UP
TO BLAIR
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said they had tried
to approach the election strategically and he predicted
SF would also show advances in the local government
election results. "I am very pleased with the turn
out," said Mr Adams, who praised the Sinn Fein electoral
organisation. Mr Adams also pointed out that the
British Prime Minister Tony Blair had been returned
for an historic second time and he urged that the
right of nationalists should not be filtered through
the prism of "DUP-ism".
But DUP leader Ian Paisley insisted that the Good
Friday Agreement would have to go because a majority
of unionists didn't want it. He said: "The rule
of the agreement was that if the majority of nationalists
want it and the majority of unionists want it, then
we must have it but it has now been proved that
there is not a majority of unionists for this agreement."
UUP leader David Trimble said that he would stay
on as party leader, although a challenge seems possible
at a meting of his party's ruling council later
this month. He said there had been no meltdown in
support and in fact their percentage had increased
on the Assembly showing, up five per cent. "As always,
my position is up for reelection. I will be offering
myself again for that position, and if anyone else
from within the party wishes to challenge me, so
be it. That is the democratic wish and mandate of
the party", he told the BBC.
WEST
GOES GREEN
Sinn
Fein's Pat Doherty greeted his victory in West Tyrone
with the message 'West of the Bann is now green'.
The result marked a significant increase in Sinn
Fein's vote in the constituency with Mr Doherty
increasing his share from 14,230 in 1997 to 19,814.
The SDLP, who came third, saw their vote decrease
despite 'parachuting' the relatively high-profile
Brid Rodgers into the constituency. Mr Doherty said
he was absolutely delighted on a personal level
and felt the history of the occasion.
In his victory speech Mr Doherty said West Tyrone
was another step on Sinn Fein's journey to become
the largest party in the north and "one of the most
substantial parties in all of Ireland". He urged
unionists to join him in a new era. "Genuinely I
will try to represent those people as best I can,"
he said. "They have capable leaders with whom we
can have dialogue with and with whom we can work
this out, that's a plea and a pledge from me over
the term of this Westminster Parliament."
From lunch time it was becoming increasingly clear
that Mr Doherty was set for victory. Approaching
the first declaration in Omagh, the crowds of Sinn
Fein supporters from throughout the west continued
to grow amid a sea of green, white and orange. When
Education Minister Martin McGuinness's increased
majority in Mid-Ulster was announced shortly after
6pm it was greeted with ecstatic celebrations. "A
resounding victory" he called it, and it was - his
majority was five times up on 1997 and he took more
than half the vote. To cheers and loud clapping,
Mr McGuinness thanked his supporters for his resounding
majority. He used his election speech to condemn
dissident republicans and said the result was an
endorsement of "Sinn Fein's peace strategy and of
the peace project".
Sinn Fein's analysis had struck a chord with people
all over the island of Ireland and it was time to
end the divisions. In criticism of dissident republicans
believed responsible for a gun attack on a polling
station in Draperstown on Thursday night, Mr McGuinness
said Sinn Fein's agenda bore "no relation whatsoever
to the very, very tiny micro-group who thought they
should attack the peace process". He said they needed
to realise they had completely misread the mood
of the nationalist/ republican people. The peace
process must continue with "negotiations, not renegotiations"
and after the election it would be clear that there
was overwhelming support for the peace process.
The cheers rose even higher when Mr McGuinness announced:
"I look forward to the end of this day to see my
friends Michelle Gildernew and Pat Doherty as MPs."
His anticipation was justified, and the narrow election
after a recount of Michelle Gildernew was the 'jewel
in the crown', as Gerry Adams put it. Winning back
the border constituency of Fermanagh/South Tyrone
originally won by hunger striker Bobby Sands was
a stunning climax to the day and brought delirious
scenes at a count centre domainated by Sinn Fein
supporters, scenes which nationalists believed may
be repeated in five years time.
ENDORSEMENT
Sinn
Fein President Gerry Adams declared his huge win
in West Belfast an endorsement of the party's work
and a vote for the reunification of the island.
The SDLP was astonished when the party's vote was
all but decimated by Sinn Fein, plunging by 10,000
on its showing in the 1997 general election. Their
vote was dwarfed of some seven thousand votes compared
with Gerry Adams' vote of more than 27,000.
In another part of the Belfast count centre, Sinn
Fein's Gerry Kelly declared the DUP's Nigel Dodds
an MP on borrowed time in North Belfast. A serious
challenge from the UUP and a consolidation of Kelly's
vote could see the seat switch to nationalist hands
in four or five years time. "Nigel Dodds has borrowed
the seat for a few years but he will not be in it
next time round," said Kelly.
SDLP
DISQUIET
The
SDLP appeared panic-stricken at the downturn in
their vote and are now in third place. Polling 2,000
less than the republicans, the party blamed the
core of its vote for failing to turn up. SDLP Deputy
Leader Seamus Mallon saw his 10,000 vote lead over
Sinn Fein devastated by assembly member Conor Murphy.
At the end of the count Mr Mallon's lead was just
over 3,000. Conor Murphy said he was proud to have
played a pivotal role in helping his party's vote
increase across the country. The assembly member
said the rise in the Sinn Fein vote would serve
as a springboard for his party to secure the seat
in four years time.
In South Down, Mick Murphy also put in a very strong
showing, more than doubling his vote from 1997,
to come second. SDLP leader Mr John Hume said on
Friday night that Sinn Fein had "absolutely and
totally and completely" no chance of overtaking
his party, apparently unaware of results showing
that Sinn Fein had already done so. Mr Hume maintained
a sizable majority over Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin
in his Foyle constituency, but there has been disquiet
this weekend among SDLP members over the direction
of the party. The SDLP leader, who was first elected
32 years ago, declined to comment on speculation
over his future.
TRIMBLE'S
RECOUNT
Another
troubled party leader, David Trimble was forced
to sit through a recount of votes in his Upper Bann
constituency to see if he would retain his seat.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, who originally
won by over 2,000 votes, described the decision
to allow the recount as "totally ridiculous". His
future may be decided at the Ulster Unionist Council's
annual general meeting on June 23rd. After losing
three of its nine MPs and over 31 of its council
seats (since 1997), the UUP losers could provide
impetus for a new leadership heave. Throughout his
acceptance speech Mr Trimble was shouted down by
DUP opponents.
There were repeated calls of "traitor" as Mr Trimble
criticised the reception he and his party workers
had received. When he left the count centre in Banbridge
a protestor threw handfuls of clay at him as he
was given a heavy police escort to his car. The
UUP leader yesterday insisted this weekend he would
be urging council members to back him on June 23rd,
saying he was not scared of a challenge. "As always,
my position is up for re-election. I will be offering
myself again for that position, and if anyone else
from within the party wishes to challenge me, so
be it. That is the democratic wish and mandate of
the party", he told journalists.
But almost overlooked in the inter-unionist fighting
scramble in Banbridge was the Sinn Fein candidate
in Upper Bann, Dr Dara O'Hagan, who polled 10,770,
almost double her party's vote in the constituency
in 1997 and making stunning inroads in what was
considered an overwhelmingly unionist constituency.
Ms O'Hagan saw the broader picture. "It reflects
a growth in the Sinn Fein vote throughout the six
counties. We've turned the tables and become the
largest nationalist party in this constituency,"
she said. "People have acknowledged the work we
have done and we are positive of building on this."
That sentiment is certain to be repeated across
North for years to come, but Thursday will long
be remembered as the day the map of Ireland changed.
FINAL
RESULTS OF LOCAL ELECTIONS:
UUP
154 seats (down 31) -- 23% of first preferences
SF 108 seats (up 34) -- 21% of first preferences
DUP 131 seats (up 40) -- 21% of first preferences
SDLP 117 seats (down 3) -- 19% of first preferences
Alliance 28 seats (down 13) -- 6% of first preferences
INCREASE
IN SF SUPPORT BY CONSTITUENCY
Fermanagh/South
Tyrone +11% Upper Bann +9% Foyle +2.7% Mid Ulster
+11% East Derry +6.5% South Belfast +2.5% West Belfast
+10.2% North Belfast +5% East Belfast +1.3% West
Tyrone +10% South Antrim +3.9% Strangford +1% Newry/Armagh
+9.8% North Antrim +3.5% North Down +1% South Down
+9.3% Lagan Valley +3.4% East Antrim +0.9%
Historic
Nice treaty vote provokes debate, disdain
The
result of the referendum in the 26 Counties on the
Treaty of Nice has sent shock-waves through the
political systems in Ireland and Europe. The treaty,
a broad-ranging pact which prepares the way for
European enlargement, centralisation and militarisation,
was rejected. In a series of referenda on European
integration over the past two decades, it if the
first time the Irish electorate has said 'No'. The
final figures from the day-long count of votes in
41 constituencies were: 453,461 (46.13 per cent)
for the treaty; 529,578 (53.87 per cent) against
the treaty. The voter turn-out for the referendum
on the treaty was 32.9 per cent.
Although the turnout was low, Irish people clearly
rejected a step which would have far-reaching consequences
for Irish neutrality and sovereignty, but which
has never been properly debated. Sinn Fein's activists
joined with the Green Party, National Platform and
others in the Peace and Neutrality Alliance to campaign
for a '
No' vote. Ranged against them was a united front
of the government, main opposition parties, business
interests, trade and farmers' unions. The vote against
Nice in Dublin South West, the constituency of SInn
Fein's Sean Crowe, was the highest in the State
at 61.58 per cent while the Dublin Central constituency
shared by the Irish Prime Minister and Sinn Fein's
Nickky Kehoe registered the fourth-highest No vote.
Just two strongly right-wing constituencies, Dun
Laoghaire and Dublin South, voted by a majority
in favour.
By staying home as well as by voting 'No', voters
were refusing to simply sign away Irish sovereignty
which was so hard won. The result was a significant
setback for Ireland's political 'elite', which has
reacted with anger and bewilderment at the people's
failure to do what they are told. Sinn Fein President
Gerry Adams MP welcomed the result and said: "The
government tried to rush the referendum through
without a debate. They failed. The Nice Treaty must
now be re-negotiated.
It is also essential that the government fulfil
its campaign promise and facilitate a comprehensive
and realistic debate on Europe." He said the referendum
result showed that the government could not take
the electorate for granted. "They must now take
on board the very real concerns that people have.
They must accept that there is concern about Irish
neutrality; concern about our sovereignty within
Europe; and a very real concern about the development
of a two-tier Europe." The result has lifted the
lid on political polarisation in Europe and feelings
of contempt and arrogance towards Irish voters.
The reaction of prominent Irish politicians was
that Irish voters were too stupid and too lazy,
and many simply refused to accept the new situation.
In particular Fine Gael TD Brendan McGahon accused
voters of being "unconcerned with politics today
- they would rather sit in and watch Coronation
st. or Fair City than take an interest in the issues
of the day". Presumably this includes government
minister Eamon O Cuiv, who curiously revealed after
the result was announced that he had voted 'No',
in defiance of government policy. While there is
as yet no plan by the Irish government on how to
deal with the result, EU ministers appear ready
to simply ignore it.
Mr Romano Prodi, EU Commission President, and Mr
Goran Persson, Prime Minister of Sweden, which holds
the EU's rotating presidency, issued a joint statement
saying they would accept no renegotiation of the
"substance" of the Nice Treaty. And they said they
would press ahead with the workings of the treaty
despite the decision of the Irish electorate to
reject it. The Swedish Foreign Minister has also
stated that the Nice Treaty would remain unchanged.
Sinn Fein TD Caoimhghin O Caolain has said that
this was "totally unacceptable". "It is clear that
all member states must ratify for any EU treaty
to be valid," he said. "That cannot now happen and
the Nice Treaty is a dead letter. "The will of the
people must be respected. The government and their
allies on the Yes side took the electorate for granted.
They must now listen to the voice of the people
and implement the decision they made on 7 June.
The government must not attempt to defy or overturn
the decision of the electorate. That would be a
travesty of democracy. He called for a number of
steps to be taken immediately, including the withdrawal
of Irish troops from NATO's Partnership for Peace
and the Rapid Reaction Force which were major issues
in the referendum and which motivated many people
to Vote NO, after a referendum on the issue of neutrality
was shelved by the Irish government. He also called
for a comprehensive debate on the way forward for
Ireland and the EU. "They can no longer treat the
people as a rubber stamp for a project of EU integration
and centralisation which has no democratic basis,"
said O Caolain. It appears likely the government
will attempt to hold a second referendum on the
Nice Treaty after the next General Election, possibly
the autumn of 2002. The government clearly wants
to delay a second referendum to avoid giving Sinn
Fein and the Greens a further boost before the general
election, which is now expected to take place in
either May or June next year.
BREAKDOWN
BY CONSTITUENCY % No
Carlow-Kilkenny
52.26%
Cavan-Monaghan 51.91%
Clare 51.30%
Cork East 56.48%
Cork North-West 54.82%
Cork South-West 52.66%
Cork North-Central 59.12%
Cork South-Central 53.78%
Donegal North-East 60.10%
Donegal South-West 60.38%
Dublin Central 60.05%
Dublin North-Cent 57.09%
Dublin North-East 56.45%
Dublin North-West 58.16%
Dublin South-Cent 55.81%
Dublin South-East 50.70%
Dublin North 52.01%
Dublin South 48.12%
Dublin South-West 61.58%
Dublin West 55.93%
Dun Laoghaire 46.42%
Galway East 52.69%
Galway West 58.01%
Kerry North 60.60%
Kerry South 55.10%
Kildare North 50.68%
Kildare South 52.28%
Laois-Offaly 51.37%
Limerick East 53.43%
Limerick West 50.69%
Longford-Roscommon 52.70%
Louth 53.38%
Mayo 55.75%
Meath 51.98%
Sligo-Leitrim 55.15%
Tipperary North 50.57%
Tipperary South 51.43%
Waterford 51.8%
Westmeath 54.93%
Wexford 51.28%
Wicklow 53.79%
