Sinn Féin have announced their three candidates in Erne West for the upcoming Council Election in May.

Two newcomers to electoral politics – Áine Morris and Declan McArdle – will be joining sitting Councillor Anthony Feely.

Sitting Councillor Chris McCaffrey announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election.

Councillor Feely is a married father of three, living in Garrison. He was first elected onto the Council in 2014.

Speaking after being selected to run, he said: “It is great to be running again in Erne West and to be joined by two fantastic candidates in Áine and Declan.

“Hopefully, the three of us will be elected so Sinn Féin locally, so we can continue to show positive and progressive leadership in our area.

“Hailing from rural West Fermanagh, I am well aware of the decades of underinvestment on roads, broadband and transport.

“We will, as a strong team, continue to fight for this imbalance to be corrected.

“We must protect our rural communities, our small businesses and our farming families. And we will continue to fight to protect our health services locally.”

Speaking after being selected, Áine Morris said: “Due to my current job I understand the pressures that the health and social care services within Fermanagh are facing.

“Everything must be done to support, protect and properly resource our health service, especially the South West Acute Hospital.

“I have worked for many years within social services and the educational sector and want to ensure that local services meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our community.

“As a resident of the area that faced the threat of fracking most acutely, I will do everything I can to ensure it doesn’t happen.

“My colleague, Áine Murphy, has a Private Member’s Bill ready to go in the Assembly, if and when the DUP stop blocking the NI Executive.”

Declan McArdle, from Kinawley, is well-known locally as an experienced electrician and community activist.

“As a family man, I understand the hardships that so many local people are facing with the current cost-of-living crisis,” he said.

“Workers and families are struggling to get through it, and the Tory government in London are too busy giving tax breaks to their billionaire buddies.

“People need and want strong local voices to call out this kind of inaction,

“With pressures on our services like local GPs and the cuts at the SWAH, and the latest being Fermanagh Community Transport, we’ve all had enough.

“A strong Sinn Féin team is needed more than ever to stand up for our rural communities and to work hard on behalf of everyone.”

The local council elections take place on May 18.