This article is from page 16 of the 2013-06-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
AND SO it begins. Since Phil Hogan announced a new structure to local government there has been a cold war of sorts over the local elections next summer.
The town councils were going to be dissolved, so there were potentially 36 new candidates with experience of elections already circling the county council seats.
It was also known that those county council seats would be fewer in number, the only question was by how much.
All was to be revealed in May, and on the second last day of the month all became clear.
There would be four constituencies or Local Electoral Areas in Clare as opposed to the six that are currently in place. The areas, particularly two, would be larger with fewer councillors to serve them as the county council membership is to be cut from 32 to 28 after the 2014 local election.
In total the number of local elected representatives in the county will drop from 68 (including town councillors) to 28. That is 40 elected representatives that will retire between now and next summer, or risk swimming in a much bigger shark infested pond.
Those overseeing the next election for the major parties know they have a busy few weeks ahead, but all agree that at least now they know what they are dealing with in terms of the boundary.
The “war” can begin – and nowhere is that more fierce than the battles within political parties.
Ask anyone in the world of politics, the most difficult part is not the election, but the selection process to make it on to a party ticket.
As well as the young guns already signing up and showing an interest, and other councillors changing party allegiances, the incumbents will also be concerned about the impact their party colleagues decision to re-run will have on their own chances of reelection.
There are significantly less seats, and this is even more of a concern when you include eager and in many cases accomplished town councillors in the race.
There will be a lot of soul searching during the coming weeks and months as councillors decide if there is a place for them in their newly-designed electoral area, and if a move to a new one would increase there chances of survival.
When surveyed by The Clare People in February, the majority of county councillors said they would contest the next election.
I would suspect there will be a number of minds changing with the changes to the boundary in the coming weeks, and the reality that two thirds of the town councillors have expressed an interest in the 2014 contest.
The major parties must now decid- ed strategies. Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have admitted that they will be drawing up strategic plans as soon as possible.
Conventions will need to be held soon, but a long summer ahead will probably postpone the majority until September at the earliest.
The independent candidates will also have a lot of soul searching to do. In many cases the area to canvass has become significantly larger, and the people behind the doors are no longer neighbours and friends. The added financial cost of this election must also be a consideration for independents as they have more area to cover and people to connect with.
Whatever decisions are made by councillors and potential candidates, there will be some interesting times ahead for political anoraks.
Let the 2014 games begin.