This article is from page 7 of the 2006-04-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
LONG serving Fianna Fáil politician Senator Brendan Daly has warned his Government colleagues that unless they address some of the ongoing contentious issues in the county, they can firmly rule out a third seat for the party in the next general election.
“I am concerned that issues not being dealt with by the Government would exacerbate an already contentious situation,” he said.
The west Clare Senator referred to the ongoing delays in securing an adequate sewerage scheme for Mullagh, Quilty and other smaller villages in west Clare, local concerns about the future of the accident and emergency department in Ennis General Hospital and the future of Shannon Airport.
“Unless there are serious commitments given on these issues the possibility of three seats in Clare is remote in the extreme,” he said.
The former minister, who did not make it onto the party ticket at last week’s convention, said he was now considering his future in politics.
He consulted with his local Comhairle Cheantar in Kilrush last evening on the issue. He is to take a few more days before announcing if he is available for the next election.
A spokesperson for the Fianna Fáil Party admitted that the four times minister and junior minister was the favourite to be added to the Clare ticket, along with Senator Timmy Dooley and Junior Minister Tony Killeen.
When asked by The Clare People if a contingency plan had been put in place to find a candidate should Senator Daly retire, the spokesperson said “it hasn’t been thought that far through”.
Just days before the Fianna Fáil convention, the party’s headquarters directed that the Clare delegates select just two candidates to represent the county in the General Election. The party would later add a third candidate.
Speaking following the convention, Junior Minister Tony Killeen reminded delegates that he was defeated at the last convention and was later added to the ticket by headquarters. He then went on to top the poll for the party in Clare.
Minister Killeen also admitted that a candidate was needed in West Clare. Having been selected on to the ticket on the first count, Senator Timmy Dooley told the convention delegates that “we have lost out in the last four years since Minister de Valera was taken from the cabinet table.”
He said it was critical for the party to return three seats if Clare was to have a representative in cabinet.