Trio of Fine Gael men throw hats into Laois General Election race

Three men have thrown their hats in the ring for to win the Fine Gael nomination to contest the General Election in the new Laois constituency.

In what will be a historic election for the party, two sitting councillors and one local election candidate have put their names forward to be considered at the party's General Election convention in September.

The most senior candidate is the long-serving Portlaoise councillor Willie Aird. Another name put forward is Cllr Conor Bergin who hails from Borris-in-Ossory. They are joined by Paddy Buggy who is based in Mountmellick.

All three men will hope to get the backing of local Fine Gael members at the party's convention at the Killeshin Hotel on Thursday, September 5 in Portlaoise. It is not yet clear how many candidates the party intends to run. Another factor will be Fine Gael's obligation to balance the gender of its candidates.

Cllr Aird has long held ambitions to contest a General Election but his path to nomination was repeatedly blocked due to the presence of Charlie Flanagan. Dep Flanagan's retirement opened the path for Cllr Aird who topped the poll at the local elections in the Portlaoise Municipal District.

Cllr Aird told the Leinster Express /Laois Live that he did not know what sort of strategy the party would adopt but was convinced that he should be picked. He pointed to his strong electoral record since entering politics in 1979.

"I was the only person this year to be elected on the first county to Laois County Council. I topped the poll in that last five local elections. If that is not enough allow me an opportunity to run for the Dáil then what is?" he said. 

He said the presence of Charlie Flanagan was the reason for not running before now.

"There was never a question of I contesting with Charlie Flanagan unless we went head to head. I showed respect and did not take him on in a fight and I could have...I am going to be honest - it's my time," he said.

The Portlaoise councillor said he would deliver as a TD just as successfully as he has done as a councillor locally.

If unsuccessful, he said he would be disappointed after giving 'all his life' to the party.

He said he did not if Party HQ had a strategy which favours a younger candidate that would go against him.

"You, I and everyone knows they want the best person for the job," he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE

Pictured Cllr Aird celebrates with supporters after his election in 2024 to Laois County Council. Pic: Alf Harvey

Cllr Bergin had declared his intention to seek the nomination to run this summer. Closely allied to Dep Flanagan, the young councillor led the way in the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick electoral are to retain his seat on Laois County Council in July.

"I feel I have strong support from the members around the county having being working with them for the past couple of years...I am putting my faith in them," he said.

Cllr Bergin was reluctant to comment on the impact Cllr Aird will have on his own chances but he felt that the members wants change.

"From talking to the members I feel there is real support there for a new young candidate to contest the General Election. As Taoiseach, Simon Harris has brought new energy and the people want a candidate (in Laois) that is going to bring that new energy in the next General Election and I feel that I can rise to that challenge," he said.

As to his base being in rural Laois, Cllr Bergin indicated that this was in his favour as the party has big vote outside the urban areas with two-thirds of the vote in his Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick electoral area.

He added that he has family links to Portlaoise and he has worked in the county town for the past decade giving him a lot of support in the town. He added that he was Charlie Flanagan's Director of Elections in 2020. MORE BELOW PICTURE. 

Pictured Cllr Bergin celebrates with supporters after his election in 2024 to Laois County Council. Pic: Alf Harvey

Mr Buggy fell narrowly short at the June local elections in his latest attempt to be elected to public office. He had previously unsuccessfully sought the party's backing to be a General Election candidate. He told the Leinster Express / Laois Live that he

"It's been a lifetime ambition to represent the people of Laois in Dáil Éireann and the opportunity is arising now. With the departure of Charlie Flanagan, who was preceded by Oliver, there is an opportunity for new blood," he said.

Mr Buggy said he has a lot to offer coming from a farming background has been involved in many local community initiatives such as the LCDC and the Laois PPN.

He said he was not put off by previous failures.

"Every time I have tried I have improved my vote. I have a high profile in Laois and will probably do a lot better in a county situation than a local area," he said.

Mr Buggy says he is 'very confident' and does not see himself as an outsider.

"My profile is high. Others might be councillors but Willie would have the highest profile followed by myself and Conor who is well got in his local area. I wouldn't consider myself an outsider I have a lot to offer the people of Laois," he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured is Nina Carberry with Paddy Buggy at a Local and European election event in Laois.

One name absent from the list is former councillor and General Election candidate Thomasina Connell. She had declared her intention to seek the nomination after Dep Flanagan had announced his plan to step down in 2023. The 2016 General Election candidate in the Laois / Kildare constituency lost her seat on Laois County Council at the local elections.

Another potential candidate is Cllr Vivienne Phelan. Her local election campaign was launched by Simon Harris just before he became Taoiseach.

Fine Gael's Director of Elections Gerry Shinners confirmed that all Fine Gael members in Laois who have been in the party for the past two years will have a vote at the convention but added that the party's National Executive would have an input. There are about 350 members in Laois.

He said it had yet to be confirmed if the party would select more than one candidate. He added that other issues to factor in would be the gender quota requirement on the party to have women contesting the General Election.

Regardless of the final strategy decided upon, he said he expected that Fine Gael would have finalised its ticket in Laois by the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska which begins on September 17.

All parts of Laois will be in the newly formed Laois constituency which will return three TDs to Dáil Éireann.   

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