Hello Senator Hildegarde, goodbye Brian and Fidelma

The shock appointment of City Councillor Hildegarde Naughton to the Senate is being viewed as a move that will prevent any prospect of a return to Fine Gael by either Deputy Brian Walsh or Senator Fidelma Healy Eames.

And over the next three years she will be ‘groomed’ by the party as the next city candidate in the Galway West constituency for Fine Gael.

Her appointment has also fuelled speculation that former city councillor John Mulholland could make a return to City Hall as her replacement – and he has not ruled out that prospect.

Cllr Naughton’s ‘promotion’ is being seen as a ‘kick in the teeth’ to both Walsh and Healy Eames who both voted against the Government on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill.

It is understood that Taoiseach Enda Kenny was particularly livid at Deputy Walsh’s stance as the Galway West TD was being considered for a Junior Ministry in an upcoming cabinet reshuffle.

There is every possibility that this position might be given to Deputy Sean Kyne who sneaked in for the second Fine Gael seat at the 2011 General Election ahead of Sen Healy Eames.

There were rumours circulating within the party that Walsh would be welcomed back to the party after a year or so in exile but this latest move seems to have ruled that out completely.

Cllr Naughton was in Dublin yesterday to take up her new position in Seanad Eireann and admitted that she was shocked when she received the call from the Taoiseach on Thursday night last inviting her to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Dr Martin McAleese.

It had always been her ambition to win a Dáil seat and it was her goal to serve the people of Galway West. “It is party strategy to retain two seats and hopefully we can achieve this,” she added.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel