This article is from page 14 of the 2013-11-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
UNSUCCESSFUL nominees from Friday night’s West Clare Fine Gael convention are still hopeful that they could be added to the ticket.
During a contentious selection process, councillors Bill Slattery and Oliver Garry were selected under a geographical directive from headquarters.
Delegates then voted for a third candidate, with sitting county councillor Gabriel Keating getting the nod ahead of former Kilrush mayors Marian McMahon Jones and Ian Lynch and the current mayor of Kilkee Paddy Collins.
It is understood that the incumbent secured his place on the ticket by a tight margin, just ahead of Cllr McMahon Jones, who had a vote that was almost five times that of the nominee in third place.
A motion was put to the chairman of the convention Maurice Fitzgerald by former TD and current Trustee of the party Madeleine Taylor Quinn that a directive be sent to the central executive stating it is the wish of the local party that Cllr McMahon Jones be added to the ticket. This was seconded by a number of delegates.
Yesterday, Monday, Cllr McMahon Jones said she was extremely happy with her vote.
“I am absolutely delighted with the result. I would be very confident that I will be placed on the ticket,” she said adding that she believes she would be a strong candidate throughout the vast West Clare area.
Cllr Lynch has not given up hope of running in the election either.
“I don’t really know if they will be adding someone, they might just run three. I will just have to wait and see and in the meantime I will get behind the other three candidates,” he said.
Fine Gael has selected five candidates to contest the eight-seater Ennis area.
Those close to the party said that it is very likely that at least one if not two more candidates will be added to the ticket for the eight-seat West Clare Municipal Area, with one candidate more than likely to come from Kilrush.
However this decision will be at the sole discretion of the central executive of the party, who could opt to add a candidate who was not even nominated for convention.
Cree nominee to the convention Johnny Pilkington chose to withdraw from the race at the beginning of Friday night’s meeting.