BREAKTHROUGH

GENERAL ELECTION 2016 COULD WELL SEE THE BREAKTHROUGH OF MARC MACSHARRY

IT was undoubtedly a devastating blow to Fianna Fail to be left without a seat in Sligo after the last General Election in 2011.

The former three seat Sligo/ North Leitrim constituency returned two Fine Gael TDs and one Sinn Fein Deputy.

It was a far cry from the heady days of Fianna Fail locally when it managed, thanks in large part it has to be said to the huge popularity of Ray MacSharry, to win three out of four seats in 1987 and February 1982.

Last time out it had to battle a ferocious backlash from the electorate, crucified, rightly or wrongly for making a mess of the economy.

It paid the price and in Sligo/ North Leitrim, Deputy Eamon Scanlon lost his seat while Senator Marc MacSharry failed in his bid to win a seat.

While not exactly riding high in the polls the party at least doesn’t have to incur the wrath of voters this time around.

Fine Gael and Labour are very much in the firing line now so Fianna Fail has that little bit more breathing room.

In Sligo/ Leitrim it’s surely inconceivable that the party wouldn’t win at least one seat this time. Eamon Scanlon is back on the ticket having got himself re- elected to Sligo County Council in the meantime while the other County Sligo candidate is Marc MacSharry.

Councillor Paddy O’Rourke in Leitrim was a late addition to the party ticket but is highly unlikely to be in the running for a seat.

It’s down to Scanlon and MacSharry to do the business for Fianna Fail. Last time out, Councillor Scanlon polled 11.4% of the first preferences with Senator MacSharry managing a 10.4% share.

It wasn’t enough to elect either but there just has to be at least one Fianna Fail seat now and the possibility of a second if there’s a swing in their favour. For most pundits Sligo/ Leitrim is easy to call in terms of saying there’s one seat for each of the main parties. It’s the destination of the fourth and final seat that’s difficult to call and it may well come down to what influences the electorate in the final week.

Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail are near certainties to take one seat each and the parties along with a couple of independents will all be in the running for the final seat.

Senator MacSharry has served three terms now in the Senate and if he’s to make the breakthrough it has to be now. According to Paddy Power he’s second favourite at 2/ 7 to take a seat. There’s been no official carve up of the constituency in terms of vote management by Fianna Fail with Councillor Scanlon and Senator MacSharry essentially covering the same ground.

It has to be said though that MacSharry is certainly a more visible presence about Sligo and he has extended well into Ballyshannon and Bundoran too, key towns in the new constituency. Apart from the obvious backing of his father, who is still a revered figure in Sligo politics following a 20 year plus career in public life, Sen- ator MacSharry also has the backing of well known family the McEniffs, who are steeped in Fianna Fail. They’ve been on the campaign trail with Senator MacSharry.

Marc says canvassing this time around is not at all similar to 2011 with the electorate not venting their anger on the party.

The Sligo Champion caught up with Senator MacSharry on his canvass of Doorly Park last Wednesday morning.

Senator MacSharry was greeted warmly as he went door to door and his gracious approach certainly had people engaging with him.

Concerns over issues such as services at Sligo University Hospital and more basic worries about decaying trees were taken on board with genuine sincerity.

MacSharry is not taking anything for granted.

“We’re getting through it and just going to people and fine I’m highlighting some of the issues I have been involved in and there seems to be some recognition of these that maybe they’ve heard me on radio or read about me in The Champion but really it’s about me getting around to people in person.

“The polls would suggest there is definitely a seat and the potential possibly to fight for a second.

“I’d say I’m hopeful and I’m encouraged that people might feel that it might be my opportunity but I’m taking nothing for granted.”

He acknowledges that at the last election to end up without a party TD in the constituency was nothing short of a disaster and he’s made no secret of the fact he’s not hugely enamoured by a three candidate strategy this time around. All we can do is fight as hard as we can and maximise our vote as best we can.