THE dynamics of the forthcoming electoral contest in Waterford constituency have shifted dramatically following a decision by television deflector groups to nominate a candidate.
A steering committee of the deflector groups in the south-east decided at a meeting in Carrick-on-Suir on Thursday night to nominate Mr Dermot Kirwan(30), of Kilmacthomas, to stand as a Community candidate.
The deflector issue has remained a major concern in the area since a High Court injunction forced the South-East Community Deflect or Association to pull the plug on its multi-channel service to thousands of homes over a week ago.
Mr Kirwan, who is operator of the deflector service to isolated communities around the Comeragh Mountains, has acted as spokesman for the association in the controversy.
His father, Mr Billy Kirwan, was the originator of the deflector idea in Kilmacthomas more than 2,0 years ago as a means of providing a multi-channel service to rural areas which could not otherwise receive the British stations.
Mr Dermot Kirwan, along with representatives of other community deflector television systems, had a 90-minute meeting on Wednesday with the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Mr Dukes, to discuss their reservations about his proposed new licensing scheme for multi-channel television.
According to reports the meeting was acrimonious, and Mr Dukes was unable to satisfy the concerns of the deflector representatives that they should be allowed to continue providing the community service which they have supplied for the past 20 years.
Mr Kirwan said yesterday the deflector groups felt they had no option other than to enter the election contest.