CORK SOUTH WEST:A GREEN Party candidate in Cork has withdrawn from the election and is to be replaced on the Cork South West ballot. Jennifer Sleeman (81) announced her intention to run for election last week but was forced to withdraw because she is not an Irish citizen.
She is likely to be replaced by Kevin McCaughey, a social worker and long-time Green Party member from the outskirts of Clonakilty.
“I have lived here for 54 years,” a disappointed Ms Sleeman said. “I haven’t ever applied for citizenship, it just never crossed my mind,” she said.
Sleeman, who previously contested local elections, was unaware that Irish citizenship is required for Dáil elections. Green Party chairman Dan Boyle said Sleeman’s loss was a disappointment. “It is a pity, she has a very good background. We just made an assumption,” he said.
While Mr McCaughey has yet to be ratified as the party’s representative in Cork South West, Mr Boyle said, “he has the capacity to offer people real choice. We polled around 6 per cent in Cork South Central last time so we are hoping for something along those lines again.”