McCormack and Walsh confirm that they are both chasing a slot on the FG ticket

Date Published: {J}

The weekend made things a lot clearer in Fine Gael in Galway West. Long-serving TD Padraic McCormack has been throwing shapes for months about standing again for election – but at the Galway West FG Constituency AGM a few nights ago, he left delegates with no doubt that he intends to run in the next election.

And then, to make matters even more interesting, in a letter sent to all members of the organisation in Galway West at the weekend, his close political colleague, Councillor Brian Walsh, announced that he also wished to run for office. Brian Walsh was nominated in 2007 when Padraic McCormack said he wished to retire, but Walsh withdrew for family reasons and FG Leader Enda Kenny pressed Padraic McCormack to stand again in the 2007 election.

The announcements last weekend by McCormack and Walsh – both of them based in Galway City – has set up a political battle between two erstwhile political allies in Fine Gael, for Fine Gael can hardly have two candidates based in the city.

That battle looks inevitable, unless one withdraws ….. and, meantime, Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames is also seeking a place on the ticket, while City Councillors Padraig Conneely and Hildegarde Naughton, County Councillors Sean Kyne and Eileen Mannion, and Local Elections candidate JJ Lee are also being openly speculated on as interested.

Certainly the high-profile Conneely has left no one under any illusions as to his bid to pursue a nomination. As Chairman of the Health Forum he has been constantly in the headlines and has a ‘no prisoners’ attitude on issues … a bit like the outspoken FG Mayo TD Michael Ring.

Deputy McCormack was first elected to the Dail in 1989 but has been active in FG politics in Galway since the early 80s. A recent signal of his intent was his winning the electoral battle for the Chairmanship of the FG Parliamentary Party (TDs, Senators and MEPs), which party members say has put new pep in his step.

And he confirmed his plans when he told the constituency AGM in the Salthill Hotel last Thursday night that he would again be seeking the support of members.

It now seems likely that the Fine Gael Selection Convention in Galway West will be held in the early autumn. Members feel that the FF-Green government will make it through the summer, when the Dail is in recess, but that even if they stay together on key issues like NAMA and the banks recapitalisation, the drafting of the next Budget will be ‘a bridge too far’ for the partnership.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.