A Moore Street trader and local elections candidate claims he has led a "mass resignation" from Fianna Fail.
Mr Ernie Beggs is running in the North Inner City ward for the Dublin Corporation city council. He resigned from the Kevin Barry cumann of Fianna Fail three weeks ago and is running as an Independent.
"I just felt I could represent the interests of the people of the inner city as an Independent candidate," he told The Irish Times.
"The turning point for me was when I read about the millennium spike for O'Connell Street. When I saw that they were spending £4 million on that thing and there are children as young as 12 sleeping rough every night, I felt I could not have anything more to do with Fianna Fail."
A spokesman for the party said Mr Beggs had "ruled himself out" of running for Fianna Fail but denied any "mass walkout".
Mr Beggs said up to 26 members of the cumann had resigned with him. "They are all very happy, out canvassing for me as an Independent."
Mr Beggs has been selling fruit and vegetables on Moore Street for 28 years. Prior to that he worked for the Tonge and Taggart firm on Dublin's East Wall, and was vice-president of the Number 6 branch of the National Engineers' and Electricians' Trade Union.
