Councillor Jack Murray lands European role

Inishowen Sinn Féin Councillor Jack Murray has been appointed to the prestigious European Union Committee of the Regions as an alternate member alongside counterparts from across the 27 member states, it has been confirmed.

The Inishowen Cathaoirleach was appointed alongside nine full-time members and eight other alternate members. The position is a five-year term.

There are six plenary sessions per year but each member will also be invited to join two commissions which will also involve regular meetings in the EU. Each alternate member is designated a full-time member. Councillor Murray will act as the alternate for Laois County Councillor Caroline Dwane Stanley.

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There are 329 members on the body and they represent more than 1.1 million elected representatives across the EU’s 27 member states, including councillors, mayors, and regional assembly members.

Councillor Jack Murray was nominated for the position by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald. The party leader had sought to remove Caroline Dwane Stanley after she quit Sinn Féin just after Christmas Day, saying the party was no longer a safe place for her and making councillor Murray a full-time member in her place.

Her resignation came after her husband and former Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley quit two months earlier after 'gross misconduct' allegations were referred to the gardai by the party.

Councillor Murray agrees with his party leader that Ms Stanely should step aside.
“The government has stated that they want balanced political views based on the mandates we received," he said. "Caroline doesn’t represent Sinn Féin anymore and she would need to answer why she would want to maintain this position despite not representing the party. There are a number of Independent members currently representing the Independent groupings. Mary Lou was right to say that we should have the full member that we are entitled to.”

Ms. McDonald had written to then-housing minister Darragh O’Brien in January seeking to change her party’s nominee on the committee. However, in his response, Mr. O’Brien said a member’s term in office can only come to an end due to a resignation, the end of the electoral mandate on the basis of which they were appointed, or death.

Councillor Murray argues it is the will of the Government if they want to change it.

“There is going to be a re-jig as Eileen Lynch has been elected to the Seanad and she is a Fine Gael member and the Government will be replacing her with another Fine Gael member but I think it is an opportunity for the government to do it if the political will is there.”

Although it represents the regions of Ireland, Councillor Murray is the only member representing an area North of County Longford. “It doesn’t represent the regions in an even spread. County Cork alone has more representatives compared to the Northern half of the Country,” he said.

The South Inishowen Councillor is aiming to represent the Northern half of the country and in particular, the Northwest because it is “the one region in Ireland that has received the lowest amount of investment and has been left behind in terms of infrastructure and development for decades and is the one part of Ireland that needs the strongest voice in Europe.”