Final line up emerges

WITH the final deadline for nominations due to pass at noon today (Wednesday), 12 candidates have declared in the Kerry constituency.

Fianna Fáil will run three candidates: John Brassil TD, Cllr Norma Foley and Cllr Norma Moriarty.

Fine Gael will be represented by Minister Brendan Griffin TD and Cllr Mike Kennelly.

Cllr Pa Daly is running for Sinn Féin, and Cleo Murphy is the Green Party candidate.

Independents and candidates from the smaller parties include Deputies Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae; Sonny Foran of Aontú; Ted Cronin, representing the Animal Welfare Party; and John Bowler for the Irish Freedom Party.

By Tuesday evening the main party candidates, the HealyRaes and both Mr Foran and Mr Cronin had all submitted their nomination papers at the County Registrar’s Office in Tralee.

The Labour party was due to meet on Tuesday night in a last ditch bid to find a candidate, however a senior party source told The Kerryman on Tuesday afternoon that it appeared unlikely, at that stage, that the party would be fielding a candidate in Kerry.

Last week, Tralee Labour councillor Terry O’Brien – who Labour party HQ had asked to run – ruled himself out of the contest.

Meanwhile, in Killarney, the current Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Michael Gleeson, was reconsidering his election bid.

He announced last week following a meeting of his party, Kerry Independent Alliance, that he would not be running.

However, following pressure, Cllr Gleeson was reconsidering his position on Tuesday evening.