Seeley looks to future of hope on the new ‘super council’

The Sinn Fein Councillor, and their candidate for the Upper Bann Westminster seat, Catherine Seeley said: “Just over two week’s ago Craigavon Borough Council ceased to exist, never to see the light of day again. The nationalist and republican community of Craigavon may well breathe a huge sigh of relief.

She said it had been a ‘cold house for nationalists and republicans’ in a council ‘dominated by backward-thinking unionist politicians that have rarely offered the hand of friendship to nationalists and republicans’.

She said: “The DUP team in Craigavon have maintained a strategy echoing sentiments of a Protestant council for a Protestant people right up to the final days of the council.
Flying the Union flag 365 days, voting down investment in Nationalist areas, are only some of the decisions that have alienated the nationalist and republican communities at large.

She praised the UUP for taking the brave step to ‘equality when they raised their hands in support of a Sinn Féin candidate’ for Deputy Mayor on Craigavon Council.

She went on: “Although, it is notable that the DUP outcry over my election as Deputy Mayor of Craigavon has not been echoed following my election as new Deputy Lord Mayor in the new Council area - then again, it is a DUP Councillor this time(Darren Causby) who will be working with me as the new Mayor. This new council offers real hope for further change.”