Clare Daly resigns from Socialist Party

Andrew Donovan

Local councillors express their views on Clare Daly and her recent resignation from the Socialist Party.

A “very vibrant, determined woman with a huge political aptitude” is how Joan Collins TD for Dublin South-Central described her former colleague Clare Daly currently of the United Left Alliance.

Both women have left the Socialist Party: Clare Daly at the end of August this year, Joan Collins almost 10 years ago.

“I left in 2003 around the time of the anti-bin tax campaign for both personal and political reasons, Clare always committed a lot of energy to the United Left Alliance and I think she left the Socialist Party, much like myself, for political and personal reasons,” Joan Collins said.

The Socialist Party released a statement on their website following Ms. Daly’s resignation on the 31st August 2012

“In our view, the fundamental reason for Clare’s resignation is that she now places more value on her political connection with Independent TD Mick Wallace than on the political positions and work of the Socialist Party.”

Clare Daly released her own statement saying  “I note with some regret the inaccurate content of the Socialist Party statement issued today.

“I have no intention of engaging in a public war of words with the Socialist Party leadership.

“I am proud of my record as a Socialist Party activist and public representative, as a shop steward representing Aer Lingus workers and a campaigner with people across Dublin North and beyond.”

At the time of the resignation, Labour Councillor for the liberties Rebecca Moynihan posted on her Twitter criticising the Socialist Party’s treatment of Ms. Daly,  but when asked to comment on the incident by The Liberty Ms. Moynihan said she didn’t wish to further remark on the affair.

“I don’t know Clare Daly personally and I feel it is incorrect for me to speculate on the workings of another political party but I do think we should move away from personality politics, all of this just serves as a distraction to the real issues, the media in our country should be reporting on policies not personalities.”

Update: The standfirst of this article originally stated, erroneously, that  Clare Daly resigned from the Socialist Party after a row over proposed household charges. This was corrected on 16 October 2012.

Image Top: Via Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ClareDalyTD?fref=ts