Two on Fine Gael ticket as Wexford district loses out at convention
NO WEXFORD DISTRICT CANDIDATE AS CLLR. WILLIE FITZHARRIS LOSES OUT
FINE Gael has selected Deputy Paul Kehoe from Enniscorthy and Senator Michael D’Arcy from Annagh, Gorey, to run on its slimmed down party ticket at the next general election.
Over 500 party members gathered for a selection convention in The Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy, on Sunday night. The third candidate who put his name forward to the voters was Cllr Willie Fitzharris from Wellingtonbridge.
However, the party recently made a decision to run just two candidates this time around, as opposed to the three last time. The party won two seats in Wexford in 2011, but Wexford based Deputy Liam Twomey had already announced his intention not to contest next year’s election.
Speaking afterwards, Deputy Kehoe said he’s delighted to have been selected as a candidate and pledged to ‘continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the people of Wexford.’
‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members who came out and voted at a packed convention,’ he said. ‘I would also like to congratulate Michael D’Arcy on his selection and commiserate with Willie Fitzharris, who is a fine councillor and put up a great fight on the night.’
Speaking at the convention, he acknowledged Liam Twomey for his service to the people of Wexford. ‘I was delighted to be involved in his decision to join Fine Gael in 2004,’ he said. ‘It has been my pleasure to have served with him in the Oireachtas for over 13 years. I want to wish Liam, Liz and their family all the best for the future.’
Senator D’Arcy was also delighted to be given the nod by his fellow party members. ‘I’m delighted that a sufficient number of members decided to place their trust in me to go through to represent Fine Gael in Wexford,’ he stated.
He assumed the party’s national executive’s decision to run two candidates was because of national polling numbers. ‘I believe Fine Gael can win two seats,’ he said.