Former Mayor Hanley to contest local elections

Date Published: 24-Feb-2009

FORMER Mayor of Galway City looks ‘a shoo-in’ to be selected as the second Fianna Fáil Local Election candidate in the Galway City West Ward (Salthill and Knocknacarra) when he goes for interview with the ‘Coughlan Committee’ next week – as long as another candidate isn’t ‘parachuted in’.

Fianna Fáil has already selected 36-years-old Taylor’sHill solicitor, Peter Keane, as a candidate for the party in what was the old South Ward but it is almost certain to add another candidate to the ticket in an effort to gain a seat in the new five-seater constituency where it currently has no elected representative.

Former Mayor, Val Hanley, has strong backing from the local cumanns in the City West Ward and has allowed his name go forward for interview by the the ‘Coughlan Committee’ which is chaired by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and also involves Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey and FF General Secretary Sean Dorgan.

The Sentinel has learned that…