A D�N Laoghaire Fianna Fáil councillor believes that his party is failing to connect with voters in Dublin.
Cllr Cormac Devlin made his comments in the wake of the recent by-elections which saw two anti-water charges candidates elected to the Dáil at the expenses of all the major parties.
He has called on Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to initiate a broad discussion on the future direction of the party.
Cllr Devlin said:
“The result in Dublin South West is a wake-up call for Fianna Fáil in Dublin. Our party is simply not connecting with voters in the capital.
“The by-election result provides an important opportunity to reflect on key questions about our approach to politics and policy in urban areas. We must critically examine our organisation and how we represent citizens, particularly in Dublin.
?
Cllr Devlin said the leadership should immediately meet with all of Fianna Fáil’s elected representatives on a regional basis and initiate a conversation with the wider membership about the direction, focus and positioning of the party.
“This process should commence immediately and conclude with recommendations being debated at next spring’s Ãrd Fheis,
? he added.
“It is remarkable in our party’s history that there are no TDs from Dublin in our parliamentary party. It is essential that our party’s discussions about Dublin are not totally disconnected from our voters and members.
?