Alliance candidates express thanks to voters

Cllr. Barney Fitzpatrick, who was elected in the Causeway DEA said “I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve all the people of the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area, a duty I intend to do to the best of my ability. My thanks are due to all those who supported me both by voting and working towards a shared future.

Unfortunately Councillor Yvonne Boyle narrowly missed out in the Coleraine DEA.

She said “I would like to congratulate my colleague Cllr Barney on his election to the new Council. I still have a year to serve on Coleraine Borough Council and pledge to work alongside Barney, in his role, to build a fair and integrated society.”

Alliance’s youthful candidate in the Ballymoney DEA, Stephen McFarland, had a good campaign and stayed in contention until the Stage Five of the Count. Stephen said that he had been heartened by the support he had received on the doorsteps considering that it had been over twenty years since Alliance had last contested a seat in Ballymoney. He said “I have carried out surveys of residents and whilst I haven’t been elected to the Council I still intend working to resolve the issues that were raised in the survey responses.”

The Alliance candidate in the Bann DEA was Charlie McConaghy. Charlie has been a committed Alliance member for many years and is keen to represent the people in the Bann area. Charlie said “During my campaign I met with many local people and learnt of the issues that were important to them. I intend to continue to work as the Alliance agent in the area and will be keeping in contact through facebook.com/CausewayAllianceAssociation.”

In The Glens DEA Colin Mayrs was breaking new ground for Alliance and said: “It has been an enjoyable experience and whilst I am disappointed not have been elected I will continue to support Alliance in working towards a shared future.”

The Alliance candidates have joined together to express their thanks to all those associated with the election process: the Electoral Office of NI; the Deputy Returning Officer and his staff; Royal Mail; our local press; our own election workers and above all those who took the trouble and exercised their right to vote and indeed the other parties for the good spirit with which the election campaigns were conducted.