The Fine Gael councillor who has been charged with inciting hatred towards Travellers is expected to secure his local election nomination in Co Mayo tomorrow night.
The Fine Gael national executive will be faced with ratifying Mr John Martin Flannery (60) as a party candidate, following the convention for the new Swinford electoral area in Kiltimagh community Centre tomorrow.
Mr Flannery, from Lavey, Charlestown, Co Mayo, appeared before Galway District Court on the charge earlier this week. The case was adjourned until January 13th.
The summons against Mr Flannery related to comments he is alleged to have made on May 11th, during a Western Health Board meeting at University College Hospital, Galway.
Following the reported remarks, the Fine Gael parliamentary party passed a unanimous vote which condemned the comments and called on Mr Flannery to withdraw them and to apologise.
The resolution was proposed by the Fine Gael party leader, Mr Bruton.
The party also initiated disciplinary proceedings over the matter, and the Fine Gael social affairs spokesman, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, said that he was "astounded and appalled" at the content and said that he utterly rejected what he regarded as "racist and inflammatory" speech.
"The notion of second-class citizenship for any individual or community within Irish society has no place in Fine Gael," Mr O'Keeffe said in May.
Mr Flannery is alleged to have told the health board meeting that travellers were "able-bodied men, who should be made to go out and do FAS courses like everyone else, but instead are lying around in the sun like pedigree dogs".
The summons against the councillor contends that such words, while being abusive and insulting, are likely to stir up hatred contrary to Section 2 of the 1980 Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act.
Mr Flannery has said he intends to "deny and defend" the allegations made against him.
Late last month, he claimed that "sinister forces" were at work to try to prevent him from securing the local election nomination.
