West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Councillor Tom Hartley

Falls councillor Tom Hartley has been involved in republican politics since 1969.

In 1971, Tom was sentenced for riotous behaviour and got ten months in Crumlin Road Jail.

He established the first Republican Press Centre in Belfast in 1973 at 107a Falls Road.

In 1978, Hartley and a number of others, including the printer of Republican News, were arrested and charged with attempting to 'undermine the Government'. The charges were later dropped but not before Hartley had spent another five months in Crumlin Road Jail on remand.

During the prison protests of the 1980s, as head of the Sinn Féin POW Department, Tom Hartley was key to the establishment of a very effective communications system between the jails and the outside.

Tom Hartley was one of those in the movement who early on identified the need for a more flexible approach to the republican struggle.

Over the years, Tom went on to hold various high-profile positions within Sinn Féin, including party chair and general secretary.

He was elected as councillor to represent the Lower Falls electoral area in May 1993 and was re-elected in May 1997, June 2001 and May 2005.

He has sat on and chaired various committees and sub-committees, including the Policy and Resources Committee and Development Committee.

He is deputy chair of the Tourism and Promotion of Belfast sub-committee in addition to others.

Tom was Mayor of Belfast city from June 2008 to June 2009.