Bev promises delivery

Beverley promises delivery as return date approaches

Claire Egan

MAYO deputy Beverley Flynn has promised delivery for her ‘Mayo priorities programme’, as her return to the Fianna Fáil party approaches.
It is expected that the Independent TD will rejoin the party at the end of October. Fianna Fáil’s general secretary Seán Dorgan is scheduled to meet party members in the Mayo constituency in the coming weeks, following consultation with the party’s national executive.
Deputy Flynn’s membership requires the backing of the national executive, who expelled her from the party in 2004 after her unsuccessful Supreme Court libel appeal.
It is also believed that Mr Dorgan is awaiting the completion of Ms Flynn’s €1.25 million payment settlement to RTÉ on October 18, as a result of the failed libel action against the State broadcaster.
“I am looking forward to my return in a political sense. The people gave me a mandate in the last general election and it is delivery for the county that is important. I am in a position to deliver and in the future I hope to be in a higher position. As far as I am concerned, the west has been severely neglected and I have a full list of what I call ‘priority projects’ for the county, ranging from roads and gas to the western rail corridor and the development of IWAK, to name but a few,” said Ms Flynn.
Speaking specifically on her imminent return to the Fianna Fáil fold, Deputy Flynn said that she had been ‘pushing an open door’ and did not foresee any friction arising with her former party members over her return.
“I welcome the consultation at local level as it is important as a local representative to have the support of party members. I was elected twice as a Fianna Fáil candidate and once as an Independent. However, I have always retained strong links with the party, and from that point of view I don’t see much change,” said Deputy Flynn.
“As far as I am concerned, I have been pushing an ‘open door’. The power of the Independents has never been stronger, if one looks at last week’s Dáil vote on the Shannon issue where the Independents were to the fore,” she added.