A round-up of other elections news in brief
Name dropping after boundary change
An unfeeling administrative change has resulted in the loss of one of the most memorable names on Dublin local election ballot papers.
Independent councillor Vincent “Ballyfermot” Jackson has been abridged to the far more prosaic Vincent Jackson as a result of the newly-introduced boundary change which sees the addition of Drimnagh to the Ballyfermot ward.
Jackson said he regretted the loss of his name, which has brought him electoral success for 18 years, but said he did not want to alienate his new constituents.
“The boundary change has added an extra 4,000 houses, which is very difficult for someone like me, and the people of Drimnagh aren’t happy that the three existing councillors are all Ballyfermot-based. A double-barrelled Vincent ’Ballyfermot/Drimnagh’ Jackson is a bit too much of a mouthful,” he said.
Fianna Fáil councillor shuns 'eyesore' political posters
One Fianna Fáil councillor who has neatly side-stepped the ongoing dilemma among party colleagues of what prominence to give the party logo on their election literature is Athlone’s John Butler.
He has decided to dispense with posters altogether.
Butler, who is chairman of Athlone’s Tidy Towns committee, says the election is not a “beauty contest” and that posters of his fellow councillors are an “eyesore”.
Sadly, however, his bid at a recent council meeting to convince his fellow councillors to follow his example was rejected.
Maybe they feel they’re better looking than him?
Rallying cry for motorists
In a stirring example of people power, Independent candidate Pat Finnerty is calling on the car-owners of Tramore to come together – and sue Waterford County Council for damage caused to their vehicles by bad roads. Finnerty insists the local authority needs to take responsibility for the damage that their roads cause to local vehicles (particularly the stretch between Perry’s Bridge to Robin Hill).
Some may dismiss the move as a cheap publicity gimmick. But Finnerty insists the crusade is about seeking vengeance for excess tyre damage, cracked windscreens and tar marks.
Quotes
Whilst the party is important – and there is no greater party loyalist than me – the country is paramount. - Taoiseach Brian Cowen at Fianna Fáil's local elections manifesto launch
Look at the many times that Labour . . . became the mudguard instead of the vanguard, of the bigger establishment parties. - Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams
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