When selection conventions start, you know that the countdown has properly started to the next Local Elections.
Fianna Fáil were first out of the traps last week when they went through the process of picking the people that will represent them in 2024 with their convention in the Killeshin Hotel selecting eight candidates across the three different Municipal Districts.
They had 11 candidates five years ago and may yet match that number again – as party headquarters will dictate if additional names will be added.
For that reason the selection convention is merely a box-ticking exercise with the grassroots members having relatively limited influence.
There was a vote in each of the districts but Fianna Fáil’s national constituency committee decreed how many candidates were to be selected.
Each of the three districts was additionally divided by geography, with head office saying how many would be selected.
In Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick, for example, there was no need for a vote as three were chosen (sitting councillors Paddy Bracken and Seamus McDonald as well as 2019 candidate Declan Goode) in the old Tinnahinch electoral area. In contrast, in the other half of the district, only one was selected – Fintan Cuddy getting the nod ahead of Liam O’Neill.
However, in the urban part of Portlaoise, only one was voted in on the night where Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald was routinely selected with more than 60% of delegate votes ahead of Eimhin McEvoy, Pauline Madigan and Naeem Iqbal. It’s likely that one of those three will be duly added to the ticket and join the Abbeyleix-based John Joe Fennelly.
In Graiguecullen-Portarlington, Cllr Paschal McEvoy was unopposed in the Emo area of the district while in Luggacurren, Cllr Padraig Fleming did enough to see off the challenge of Willie Ramsbottom.
Despite Ramsbottom’s relatively strong showing, it remains to be seen whether Fianna Fáil later add him given his geographic location in Timahoe is smack bang between Paschal McEvoy and Padraig Fleming. Three into two doesn’t go and it would surely be a big ask for all three to be elected.
If Ramsbottom was from the urban area of Portarlington, you can be sure he’d be added but location is as big a factor in politics as it is in property.
Minister of State for Transport Jack Chambers was sent down to address the convention and speaking to LaoisToday afterwards he was enthused by the interest shown by candidates in representing the party.
He is the party’s Director of Local Elections for 2022.
In all there 15 names, four of them for the first time, in for the eight positions as Fianna Fáil seek to build back up their numbers in Laois County Council, which at six, is the lowest in their history.
“I think what you’ve seen this evening in Laois is the strength of representation at grassroots support that we have within Fianna Fail.
“We have competitive selection conventions across different electoral areas and really strong tickets and the reason we’re moving to progress selection conventions at pace is to give all the candidates the opportunity for election but also to strategically add candidates.
“We’ve moved much quicker than in previous years to select candidates.
“So the National Constituencies Committee will, once the conventions conclude in different counties, will review each county or constituency so we maximise the vote and they’ll review the outcome of tonight’s convention with the view of potentially adding candidates but that hasn’t been decided yet.
“It could take a number of months to add candidates but the plan across the country would be not to give candidates – to give them a good space to engage with the public to preach their message and their plans.”
Chambers added that across the country they are seeing “more young people” and that increased female representation is a priority even though there is no gender quotas for the Local Elections.
“We have strong interest in running for Fianna Fáil and what we’ve seen in Laois has been replicated right across the country.
“I know of other parties finding it difficult to get candidates in electoral areas so it’s about ensuring we have a competitive selection process and then identifying good candidates in the communities to be selected afterwards.
“There is huge ambition in the party and what you heard tonight from the candidates selected and existing councillors was ambition to address gaps where we may have lost seats at the last election. We are seeing huge energy in the organisation.
“It’s brave for anyone to put their name forward and go for selection but I commend them for being involved in a competitive process, some of them missed out in a close contest.
“What I’d say to them is to commend them for the dignity in which they took the result from party members. But also to stay active, stay involved, stay engaged and (their chance) may come – that’s for the national constituencies committee.
“We’re ambitious to grow our councillor representation in Laois and that’s why the National Constituencies Committee will work to give the candidates selected the opportunity to get out and see where might be opportunities for extra seats.”
SEE ALSO – Fianna Fáil select their team to contest 2024 Local Elections in Laois
