DEADLINE FOR FF GENERAL ELECTION NOMINATIONS
IN-PARTY canvassing has begun in Wexford Fianna Fail as the deadline for the receipt of candidate nominations for the next General Election falls today (Tuesday) with a date yet to be set for the selection convention.
The national executive of the party opened the nomination stage of the selection process a few weeks ago, inviting the county’s esimated 800 members to put forward the names of candidates. Once the names are in, party officials will make contact to ascertain if they are interested in seeking a nomination, in what was described by one party member as a ‘flushing out exercise’ before the convention. With sitting TD James Browne of En- niscorthy a certainty for a nomination, the other names emerging are Fianna Fail Councillors Malcolm Byrne of Gorey, Piercestown native Lisa McDonald, Michael Sheehan of New Ross, Michael Whelan of Ballycullane and John Fleming of Clonroche.
The party ran three candidates in the last General Election – James Browne, Malcolm Byrne and Aoife Byrne – polling the highest percentage of first preference votes at 26.66% but losing out in transfers and failing to gain the coveted second seat lost by Sean Connick in 2011.
No decision has yet been taken on the number of candidates to run in Wexford but party headquarters have asked for a minimum one third female quota nationally giving an advantage to Cllr. McDonald, a solicitor with a practice in Wexford town who served as a Senator from 2007 to 2011 after being narrowly defeated in the General Election of 2007, coming in 6th place with 9.3% of the first preference votes . She was co-opted to the Council in July 2016, having formerly served as a member from 2004 to 2007.
‘I’ve decided to allow my name to go forward after consulting with Fianna Fail members locally’, she said. ‘Many of the local people encouraged me to seek a nomination as they feel I would be a good advocate for Wexford at a national level.’
‘Ultimately, it is up to the members at convention to decide who will be on the ticket. I would like to be the person to regain the second seat for Fianna Fai’, she said.
High-profile Cllr. Byrne who is Head of Communications with the Higher Education Authority, has been a member of Wexford County Council since 2009. He was first elected to Gorey Town Council in 1999 at the age of 25. He polled an impressive 6,115 first preference votes in 2001.
‘I would hope to be a candidate this time ’, said Cllr. Byrne. ‘ That is a matter for the members of the party. Having come close to winning on the last occasion, I feel I would be well-placed in regaining a second seat for the party’.
‘My case would be that if we are top win a second seat in Wexford, we should be picking candidates who can win votes. I feel my record shows I can do that.
Cllr. Sheehan, a teacher with Youth Reach in Wexford, is a member of New Ross Municipal District Council (where he served as the youngest chairman) and was elected to Wexford County Council in 2009 and and re-elected in 2014. He also confirmed his interest in running in the next election. ‘It’s my intention to go to convention and to seek a nomination to contest the General Election’, he said, adding that the party must right the wrong that was done the last time in not capturing the second seat. He believes a strong candidate is needed from the New Ross area to maximise the party’s voting strategy. As well as his work in New Ross, he has been building a profile in the Wexford district where he has worked as a teacher for the past two years.
Cllr. Whelan has worked in the construction trade for more than 20 years and has held many positions including Chairperson of Wexford Ladies Football, St. Mary’s secondary school, New Ross board of management. He was first elected to Wexford County Council in 2014. He sits on a number of Council committees and is also a member of New Ross Municipal District Council. He has been chairperson of the Joint Policing Committee.
‘I think there are two seats to be won in Wexford and I feel that New Ross has a strong Fianna Fail support. Since 2014, I have been working hard in this area and I think I can get the vote in’, he said. Auctioneer Cllr. John Fleming of Clonroche, was elected to Wexford County Council in 2014 and is vice-chairperson of New Ross Municipal District. He is on the Housing and Environment committees of the County Council and is on the boards of the Pillar in Carrigadaggin and the Apex swimming pool in New Ross.‘I am putting my name forward. I was approached by members of the party and business people who encouraged me to go forward. I had been thinking about it myself anyway and they put me across the line. I believe south Wexford needs a strong candidate and I am asking party members to support me’, he said.
The party ran three candidates in the last election, polling the highest percentage of votes but losing out in transfers