Councillor criticises Fianna Fáil candidate strategy

A decision by Fianna Fáil headquarters to operate a two-candidate strategy in the Longford-Westmeath constituency for the forthcoming general election has been criticised in Athlone and may well signal the end of the O'Rourke /Lenihan dynasty in the area.

It means that one candidate will run in Westmeath and one in Longford and it is expected that the Westmeath candidate will be sitting TD Robert Troy.

This means that Athlone will not be represented on the party ticket, where sitting councillor Aengus O’Rourke had hoped to run, in the event of a three-candidate ticket.

Mr Troy, the party’s front bench spokesman on children, is based in Mullingar and while Athlone-based O’Rourke – who is the son of former minister Mary O’Rourke – may still contest the convention, sources in the party say that Mr Troy is almost certain to be selected to run.

A spokesperson for Fianna Fáil confirmed yesterday that the decision has been made to run one candidate each in Westmeath and Longford.

Expressed interest

So far, three candidates have expressed an interest in running in Longford: Cllr Seamus Butler, Pat O’Rourke and newcomer Connie Gerety.

The Athlone comhairle ceantair met with party representatives twice in recent weeks to press for a three-party ticket (two candidates in Westmeath and one in Longford), but they have now been notified that the decision to run two will not change.

Comhairle ceantair secretary Nancy Gavin said: “We are not getting a candidate in Athlone. We are angry and disappointed. We put our case to them. We have had a candidate in Athlone as far back as I can remember.”

She said that there has traditionally been a strong Fianna Fáil vote in Athlone.

“The vote won’t leave the town,” she said. “Athlone is the largest town in the midlands. We have 4,500 Fianna Fáil votes in the town.”

Mr O’Rourke said he too was disappointed and is considering his options, adding that the decision is “a very negative approach”.