Kerry Sinn Féin candidate says ‘he will leave the fire service to run for election’ if forced

Sinn Féin local election candidate Damian Quigg said he may have no choice but to give up the job he loves after new election guidelines deem him ineligible to run.

He is one of two Kerry election candidates facing a big decision after an updated circular on civil servants running for election states that retained fire-fighters over a certain salary threshold cannot run for election.

There are already specific guidelines in place since 2004 that don’t allow civil servants on a certain salary level to seek election, but updated advice now puts some firefighters on this scale

It not only affects Kerry candidates but several candidates across the country.

Cllr Martin Grady, who is running for election in the Killarney Electoral Area having replaced his father Cllr Donal Grady, is taking legal action having received notice from Kerry County Council management that he may not be able to contest the local elections. This case is due to be opened next Thursday, April 4.

Damian Quigg who is running in the Kenmare Electoral Area, is awaiting further advice on what to do from his union, SIPTU, but he says he is angry at the situation, just months out from the local elections.

“People are outraged…on the doors, and even people not of my politics,” he said of the reaction since The Kerryman revealed the situation earlier this week.

“I have been 16 years in the fire service and I feel I want to represent the community…If it means giving up my job in the fire service to run for election, I will do that, but I shouldn’t have to,” he said.

Mr Quigg has already successfully contested a local election and held a seat for the party from 2014 to 2019 in the Kenmare MD. His job in the fire service was not an issue during that tenure and, in fact, he said the opposite was true as the local authority was ‘supportive’ of his job as a councillor.

“Anyone out there regardless of colour, race, religion or money should be allowed to run for election,” he said.

The increase in retained fire-fighters’ pay is believed to be one of the reasons for the new circular, but remuneration for firefighters varies depending on the number of call-outs received.

“If you are based in Sneem as a fire-fighter, you can run, but not in Killorglin,” said Mr Quigg.

He said, unlike other civil servants, for which the circular or advice was intended, there is “no conflict of interest” in his role, he believes.

Mr Quigg said one solution could be to allow retained fire-fighters a leave of absence to run –an option he believes may not be open to him forcing him to leave his job to contest the election.

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