Former Sinn Féin MLA Gerry McHugh has said it would be foolish of him not to consider running in the upcoming local Council elections.

Speaking, on Monday night, after a meeting for Ireland’s newest political party, Aontú, founded by another Sinn Féin member, Peadar Tóibín TD, Mr. McHugh said he had been asked by a number of people around Fermanagh if you would be standing for election.

Mr. McHugh has been out of frontline politics since he left Sinn Féin in 2007 after becoming disillusioned with the party.

If he chooses to stand it will be under the Aontú banner.

“I’ll probably consider it. It would be foolish not to,” said Mr. McHugh. “I suppose if you want to be involved in politics you have to consider getting into local politics. It’s the place I started off. It’s a very long time ago now but if you look what is happening in the local council you would have to say to yourself you wouldn’t be moving people out who are doing an exceptionally good job, because they are not.

“I am looking forward to getting involved in politics. I have always been involved in politics I have been keeping my ear to the ground listening to politics on an all-Ireland basis in all the time in between.

“I want to see politics still achieve what is not happening at the moment. All of the issues that have been mentioned tonight, in particular the economic issues, jobs, those are all vital to people and they absolutely need to be addressed by someone and I don’t think they are being addressed by those who are there at the minute.”

Despite the small crowd in attendance at the meeting held in the Westville Hotel, Mr. McHugh and party leader Mr. Tóibín were hopeful that this was just the beginning for the party in the county.

Speaking to those in attendance, Mr. Tóibín laid out the party’s core issues surrounding the right to life, economic justice and Irish unity.

The Meath West TD told the meeting that the party can put down roots in Fermanagh.

Mr. Tóibín hit out at the main political parties all over the Island, saying there was not a “cigarette paper between those political parties” who are afraid to stand up for representing their members.

“We are delighted to have a chunk of people who have signed up for our first Cumann in Fermanagh, so Aontú are now a functioning political organisation in Fermanagh and we are obviously delighted that people are buying into our objectives,” said Mr. Tóibín following the meeting.

Numbers were small compared to other meetings held around the country, Mr. Tóibín admitted that there was a different dynamic in the north of Ireland but warned that issues were coming down the road fast in the north of Ireland, in particular to the right to life.

He encouraged those in attendance to become members of a party that will be known for its grassroots activism that will heal division in Ireland, both North and South.

“Aontú will be known for its activism in local communities across the North. Our objective is to get on the ground, to get on the doors, to get in and around all of the campaigns and issues of concern to people and literally become known as the people who work the hardest for those people.”

Mr. Tóibín added that he hoped to have more candidates announced to join Councillor Rosemarie Shields in the upcoming Council elections by the end of the month.

“I suppose if you want to be involved in politics you have to consider getting into local politics. It’s the place I started off