Tyrone doctor to stand for West Tyrone seat

The Tyrone doctor who topped the poll during the 2003 West Tyrone Assembly elections has confirmed that he is to stand in this year’s general election.

Dr Kieran Deeny declared his intention in Omagh on Monday, saying he wanted to fight for better health services following the Government’s decision to remove acute hospital services from Tyrone.

He called on all other political parties to stand aside in order to successfully challenge current sitting MP, Sinn Fein’s Pat Doherty. Earlier this month Mr Doherty was reselected his party’s candidate for the seat which he first won in 2001.

In his acceptance speech the Sinn Fein vice president said his party’s objective in forthcoming elections was to consolidate the four Westminster seats secured in 2001 and to win additional ones.

“We are not building political strength for the sake of it,” Mr Doherty said. “We are building political strength throughout this island as part of a strategy to bring about Irish re-unification and true equality for all the citizens on the island.”

In the 2001 Westminster elections Mr Doherty defeated UUP candidate William Thompson by 19,814 to 14,774, a Sinn Fein majority of 5,040.

However, in the 2003 Assembly elections Mr Doherty was beaten into second place by Independent candidate Kieran Deeney who was campaigning on the single issue of hospital provision in Omagh.

(MB/SP)