'Resignation won't hinder Sinn Fein progress in Banbridge' - O'Dowd

The Upper Bann MLA said that the party plans to stand candidates in every ward in the district at the next council elections.

Ward left the party last Monday afternoon, announcing that he would be retaining his seat as an Independent.

The Knockiveagh Councillor claimed that the Upper Bann branch of the party had a Lurgan bias. He used the recent debate over the Tesco Extra store at Bridgewater Park as an example, saying he had supported the developers while the party had favoured Banbridge’s traders.

“It was not a Lurgan argument,” the MLA refuted.

“As a party - and that includes Dessie - we sat down and discussed all the arguments for and against the store. We met with the traders, I did a tour of the town and during the European election campaign we brought Bairbre de Brun down to meet them. Dessie was part of all this.

“When we had done this we discussed what was best and decided that it would have a detrimental effect on Banbridge and that was in the best economic interests of the town. Dessie may have had his views on this but he agreed to go with the party line.

“We are building in Banbridge and Dessie was part of that. At the next council elections we will be standing in both the Knockiveagh and Banbridge Town wards.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. When I first stood for election in Craigavon Council 13 years ago we didn’t stand candidates in every ward. We had to build and that’s what we are doing in Banbridge.

“Dessie was breaking new ground in Banbridge. Anyone who is the first Sinn Fein councillor to be elected to Banbridge District Council was always going to get a very difficult ride.

“But he had the full resourses of Upper Bann Sinn Fein. Now he is a lonely councillor.

“When Dessie first stood for election in 2005 an Independent stood against him in Knockiveagh. He had a party backing, the Independent had nothing behind him and in the end the people chose the party.

“Sinn Fein councillors have access to the corridors of power and direct access to Ministers and Government. Dessie now has no access, no power, nothing. He’s on his own,” he concluded.