NEWLY-elected TD Thomas Pringle has insisted he can give a voice to the people of Donegal South West as an Independent.
Appearing on TV3’s ‘Tonight with Vincent Browne’ last night, Mr Pringle said he believed he was elected because people in Donegal wanted real change.
And he said he would be talking to other elected independent TDs in the coming days to make sure he can get extra speaking rights in the next Dail.
He refused to discuss his reasons for leaving Sinn Fein, but said last week’s poll had put Donegal on the political map.
“We would have seen elections over the years when Donegal wasn’t even talked about on the TV because it was seen as Fianna Fail country,” said the new TD.
Asked why he was elected, he said: “On the doorsteps, people were very unhappy and very depressed and people did want change and of course I’m delighted they have put faith in an independent like me.”
He added: “It is going to be a new landscape in Dail Eireann and I want to form a technical grouping with other independents to have speaking rights and represent the people who elected me.”
Mr Pringle also said he expected Labour and Fine Gael to reach a quick compromise, because they ‘can’t wait to get their hands on power’.
