Would-be MEP Billy defies his leader with election poster display
HIS posters were everywhere yesterday, but Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher was keeping a low profile at the party’s ard fheis.
Mr Kelleher has put his name forward for selection as the party’s candidate for the European elections in the South constituency.
But leader Micheál Martin recently said he wants the party to take two seats in Mr Kelleher’s Dáil constituency in Cork and he wants the popular TD to stay in the Dáil. Mr Kelleher had election posters plastered along the avenue into Citywest and all over the conference centre. The posters had his face and name with the words: ‘For Europe, Vote 1.’
Mr Martin played down a growing rift with his party’s enterprise spokesman over his wish to run for Europe, and laughed off the poster manoeuvre.
Mr Martin has already given his support to Carrigaline councillor Séamus McGrath, brother of the party’s finance spokesman Michael McGrath, to seek the Euro seat.
At the ard fheis, Mr Martin told reporters: ‘It is great to see the campaigning. I mentioned yesterday that one of the great dividends of the Dublin contest [Barry Andrews was nominated last week to represent Fianna Fáil in the Dublin European constituency] was the extent to which it energised the organisation. The evidence here is that the race is in full swing in Ireland South. Séamus McGrath is there, Billy is there with good posters.’