Labour faces election wipeout in Galway

An election wipeout is facing the Labour Partyin Galway on Friday as the voters of the city turn their backs on the most popular party five years ago.

Privately, Labour, currently the biggest party on Galway City Council with five seats, is bracing itself for an almighty backlash, as an austerity-weary electorate is poised to vent its anger on the Government, and in particular the junior Coalition partner.

On a disastrous day, Labour, who are in single digits in opinion polls, could be left with just one seat on the Council, as Billy Cameron in the Central Ward is the only certainty to retain a seat for the party. Even on a ‘good’ day for Labour, they are likely to lose at least two seats.

Cameron’s running mate in Central, Collette Connolly, is under pressure to hold on, with party colleague John McDonagh affecting her first preferences and a resurgent Fianna Fáil putting the ‘squeeze’ on.

In City West, Labour’s Niall McNelis is feeling the heat from Sinn Féin and Anti-Austerity Alliance candidate, Tommy Holohan.

In the East Ward, both Labour candidates, City Councillor Nuala Nolan and newcomer to politics, Monica Coughlan, are under serious pressure to retain the party’s two seats.

Sinn Féin, riding high in the national polls, is likely to make a breakthrough with Maireád Farrell in City East, the party’s strongest candidate, on course for a seat.

Fianna Fáil, who were electorally toxic just two years ago, appear to be making a comeback, and could end up with five – and possibly an outside chance of six – seats on the next Council.

Fine Gael, who currently have three seats, are on course for a ‘middle-of-the-road’ election, with candidates taking flak for the Government imposed property taxes, water charges and general austerity measures, although they’re not feeling the heat as much as Labour.

This election is expected to be ‘Independents’ Day’ as non-party candidates are expected to be successful as large swathes of the ‘fed-up’ electorate turns its backs on the main parties.

In Galway City East, two former Progressive Democrats now independents, Cllrs Terry O’Flaherty and Declan McDonnell, are on course to retain their seats while newcomer independent Noel Larkin is making a big push for a seat.

Mike Cubbard, in City Central, who has the backing of former PD now independent TD, Noel Grealish, will poll well and looks likely to take a seat in Central while independents Donal Lyons and Catherine Connolly are untouchable in West.

See full predictions in today’s Connacht Sentinel