McCormack ‘won’t consider’ being added to the FG ticket

Date Published: 06-Dec-2010

By John Cunningham

There was a major shock at the Fine Gael Galway West selection convention on Sunday night when long-serving Galway TD Padraic McCormack failed to get a place on the party’s ticket for the forthcoming General Election.

Deputy McCormack, who has been a TD for Galway West for 21 years and is Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, was comfortably beaten by Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames and City Councillor Brian Walsh, who were both nominated.

Senator Healy-Eames, who got just under 4,000 first preference votes as a candidate in the 2007 General Election, was a member of Galway County Council from 2004. She was first elected a Senator in 2007.

Cllr Walsh is a former Mayor of Galway and has been a member of the City Council since 2002.

As the result of the vote by 420 delegates ruling out Deputy McCormack was announced on Sunday night at the FG convention session, a plainly upset Deputy McCormack was surrounded by his family and supporters, while the jubilant supporters of Senator Healy-Eames and Cllr Walsh cheered their two candidates who now go into the General Election fight.

“It is a difficult way to end a political career. I knew earlier in the day that this might happen . . . I will back the ticket and I wish them every good luck in the campaign to win two seats for Fine Gael,” said Deputy McCormack.

Asked if he would consider the possibility of being added to the ticket under powers held by Party Leader Enda Kenny, Deputy McCormack said he did not wish to discuss the question.

He reiterated yesterday that it was something he was not prepared to consider. He had allowed his name to go before delegates and that was their decision.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Sentinel