Race for Fianna Fáil Dáil election ticket hots up
The general election race has begun to heat up in the Westmeath area, with nominations for the Fianna Fáil selection convention for the Westmeath area having closed o Monday.
Outgoing Deputy Robert Troy has confirmed his intention to seek a nomination for the party to contest the next general election.
"I will definitely be going to convention and if the delegates select me to contest the general election, I will definitely be on the ticket and I will be in it to win it," he declared, when asked by the Westmeath Independent.
In recent times, Fianna Fáil has run two candidates, one from Westmeath, and one from Longford - with Deputy Joe Flaherty, the party's sitting TD from that county.
However, there is always a campaign from South Westmeath to have a candidate from this area included in the party ticket.
Fianna Fail polltopper in the Athlone Local Electoral Area Frankie Keena said his “preference” for the upcoming general election would be to see a female candidate being added to the party ticket in Westmeath.
Having made enquiries with party headquarters, Cllr Keena said his own “personal reading” of the situation is that in Westmeath the party is likely to adopt “a one candidate strategy with the possibility of adding a second candidate later on” and if so, he would like to see a female candidate to be added in the Athlone area.
When asked if he would be interested in contesting for a Dáil seat, Cllr Keena said he would prefer to see “how things play out” at this stage, but he pointed out that he was the first Fianna Fáil candidate to be elected in the Athlone area at the recent local elections with 1,371 first preference votes, having also topped the poll for the party in 2019.
The newly-elected Mayor of Athlone said it was good to see party HQ “moving on the selection of candidates” to contest the general election as it is important that all political parties “be prepared.”
Like all parties in government, Cllr Keena refused to speculate on the possible date of the general election. “To tell you the truth, I haven't a clue” he said “but no matter when it's called we have to be ready.”
Meanwhile, Athlone Cllr Aengus O'Rourke has thrown his hat in the ring to contest for a Dáil seat in Longford/Westmeath and says Athlone is “crying out” for political representation at national level.
In an interview with Shannonside News, the son of veteran Fianna Fail stalwart and former Government Minister, Mary O'Rourke said Athlone “needs a TD” and currently the town has neither “a resident TD or a resident Senator. ” He pointed out that, as a regional growth centre and “the business capital of the Midlands” it needs to have strong political representation in “the corridors of power in Dublin.”
Cllr O'Rourke said he has “the experience” and at this stage he is “ready to step up” and would be very happy to take on that role “if the people were to put their trust in me.”