Ards and North Down Councillor Joe Boyle has expressed his delight on being selected by the leadership of the SDLP to contest the snap Assembly Election caused by the scandal surrounding the Renewable Heat Incentive.
Mr Boyle said: “Once again I am privileged and honoured to be selected to stand for the SDLP. Clearly Strangford and other constituencies need the honest open and transparent approach that the SDLP and their representatives bring to politics.
“There is no doubt, as we witness on a daily basis the slow drip feed approach by the DUP and their involvement surrounding the RHI scheme it demonstrates, that politics needs to change and change within the outcome of this election.
“There is a lot of anger out there within communities when we consider the lengthy list of scandals and misappropriate governing. National Asset Management Agency ( NAMA ), Red Sky & Renewal Heat Incentive ( RHI ) and these are the scandals that we know of.
“It is right that the SDLP decided to go into into official opposition along with the Ulster Unionists and this working relationship is already proving to be beneficial to everyone is already proving to be positive and as time progresses will produce healthy dividends.
“It has thrown a constant spotlight on the Executive who have clearly been uneasy with their every step now being monitored, something that has not only exposed their ten year term of non-delivery, but also scandal after scandal.
“People have their opportunity in this election to change this bad government and should therefore exercise their right to vote this Executive out of office and to vote for offer the official opposition parties the chance to demonstrate responsible government.
“This will be my fifth attempt at trying to win an Assembly seat for the first time… the first for the SDLP having stood previously in ’03, ’07, ’11, ’16 and now ’17. If there was ever a time that the people of Strangford needed the SDLP representing them it is now. It is time to change from those whom along with their political parties automatically believe, expect and who have taken for granted the Strangford electorate that it is their god given automatic right to be elected.
“My delivery on issues representing constituents is second to none. Historically and currently we know that Strangford is the constituency with the least investment from Invest NI, therefore, I believe that across the board their has been a failure on those representing Strangford within Stormont to attract inward investment that would subsequently drive our local economy creating jobs and building our tourism sector.”
Councillor Boyle added: “For the past 13 years as an elected Ards councillor, I have fought for all constituents from across the Strangford constituency and it is these same constituents that have been contacting me to once again put myself forward to stand again in the forthcoming election. If the public do not see the need for change in this election it does then leave serious questions as to what type of governance people want here, are they content with being ripped of with scandal after scandal.
“If any political party anywhere was up to their necks in such a scandal or scandals they would be electorally wiped out. It happened in the ROI over mismanagement where Fianna Fáil mismanaged the affairs of the South and were subsequently wiped out electorally by Fine Gael.”
