PoliticsAnalysis

Independents look set to gather more than a quarter of first preference votes in local elections

Independent candidates also in the hunt for seats in European Parliament

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan at counting in Castlebar for the Midlands North West constituency in the European elections. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
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Cormac McQuinn
Sun Jun 09 2024 - 21:29

Independent politicians were on course to hoover up more than a quarter of the first preference votes in the local elections, with a number of high-profile Independents also in the hunt for seats in the European Parliament.

With more than half of seats filled by 9pm on Sunday night there were 142 Independents elected to local authorities around the country and collectively first-preference support stood at 28 per cent.

Some 198 Independents and others from micro-parties were returned in the 2019 local elections – 22.4 per cent on that occasion – and the number elected as councillors is likely to be exceeded this year.

Meanwhile, those in the running to become MEPs included Midlands North West incumbent Luke “Ming” Flanagan and Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara in Ireland South.

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Independent Ireland candidate and former RTÉ journalist Ciarán Mullooly is believed to be in with a chance of a seat in Midlands North West, while party colleague radio “shock jock” Niall Boylan was seen as being in with a chance of creating an upset in the hotly contested Dublin constituency.

In the local election there is a possibility the whip-less party could return up to 20 councillors.

Amid continued volatility in the Irish electorate it seems many voters are eschewing the Government parties and Sinn Féin in favour of Independents.

Asked about the trend, Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said there were “lots of decent hard-working Independent candidates” while arguing the collapse in Sinn Féin’s support was more significant than the increase in Independents.

As she sought to explain her own party’s poor performance Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “Clearly frustrations and indeed anger with Government policy on this occasion has translated into votes for Independents and others.”

The Independent candidates vary widely across the political spectrum including some from party “gene pools” like Christy Burke, formerly of Sinn Féin and re-elected to Dublin City Council at the weekend.

Former Green Party TD Paul Gogarty retained his seat as an Independent councillor on South Dublin County Council.

Independent political dynasties are safe with Jackie, Maura and Johnny Healy-Rae all keeping their seats on Kerry County Council, and Independent TD Mattie McGrath’s daughter Máirín wining in Tipperary.

In the same county four seats went to the “Lowry Team” of Independents associated with TD Michael Lowry, while others linked to another Independent TD Verona Murphy were elected in Wexford.

Another well-known politician elected at the weekend was former Independent Alliance TD Kevin “Boxer” Moran, who served as Minister of State for the Office of Public Works during the Fine Gael-led minority government in place before the 2020 general election. With 3,725 first preference votes safely winning him a seat on Westmeath County Council, Mr Moran said “I am 100 per cent running for the Dáil”.

He will not be the only Independent councillor tempted to make the leap to national politics with a general election looming within the next nine months. Independent TDs have held the balance of power in previous Dáils and seen their constituencies rewarded with funding for infrastructure as a result.

Their number has bolstered the paper-thin majority of the current Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Green Party Coalition at times when no confidence motions have been tabled (although access to Ministers to allow them to raise issues of concern rather than constituency deals seems to be the current price for such support).

With uncertainty over the make-up of the next Dáil and the potential for Independents to be kingmakers, the impact of the surge in non-party candidates being elected to city and county councils may well yet be felt in Leinster House.