The Impartial Reporter understands there is due to be a shake up in the Sinn Féin team in Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC), as Siobhán Currie is due to be replaced by a former councillor.

Councillor Currie was elected to FODC in the Erne North ward following the May 2019 local elections and in doing so took the seat from her running partner and outgoing councillor, John Feeley.

And she was straight into the thick of it, becoming Chairperson in her first year.
But now Councillor Currie is due to be replaced by Debbie Coyle, who was a councillor for Enniskillen before losing her seat in the same elections in 2019.

Miss Coyle was first elected to the legacy Fermanagh District Council in 2011 before retaining her seat in 2014 in the first ever elections for the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

It is believed Councillor Currie is due to finish in the coming weeks and step away from frontline politics.

Commenting on her upcoming departure and her work in the Council since 2019, Councillor Currie said: "It was both an honour and a privilege to represent the people of Erne North for Sinn Féin at Council.

"My first year was certainly a baptism of fire and it is a source of great pride that my party entrusted the role of Chair to me; a role that I undertook with commitment and enthusiasm which provided me with the opportunity to see the very best of everything that our district is rightly proud, from our beautiful places to our wonderful citizens. 

"The last quarter of my term as Chair, which saw the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, was a difficult time both for Council and the people of our District. 

"I am proud of the way that both the Council and our people stepped up to the challenge and have continued that work to date."

Councillor Currie continued: "Coming from an environmental background, I feel that I have been able to bring a strong offering to Council. I have led on many initiatives such as our Council signing up to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan,  strengthening our Council's position in opposition to Fracking, and the introduction of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy and Plan in which I played a strong role both in terms of input and delivery.

"Fermanagh and Omagh were the first council in the North to bring forward such a cross-cutting strategy which has been held up as an exemplar to other councils. 

"I also enjoyed representing the Council on both regional, national and international fora around Climate Change and Sustainable Development. 

"I am also pleased to have been involved in a range of motions and proposals on a number of important issues such as, calling for a new inquest into the murder of Michael Leonard by state forces, standing in solidarity with both the people of Cuba and Palestine by taking practical action and playing a part in several initiatives around workers rights."

Councillor Currie also spoke of her work promoting Irish and improving facilities for Council workers.

"As an Irish speaker playing a role in updating FODC's Irish Language policy and strategy was important and very rewarding.

"As was pushing for the roll out of RADAR key access across the district for those with disabilities and updating welfare facilities for Council workers."

Councillor Currie concluded: "I have enjoyed working with members of Sinn Féin as well as those right across the chamber in a productive manner to do our best for the people of our district.

"I am leaving the Council to pursue other opportunities and am confident that our Sinn Féin team will continue to be a strong voice, advocating for all of the people of our district, in the time ahead.

"I wish my successor, who will be selected in the coming weeks, all the best. They are joining a strong Sinn Féin team and I will be there to help them in any way possible."