Fianna Fáil HQ could add more names to Laois Local Election ticket

Laois Fianna Fáil has finalised its choice to run for the party in the 2024 Local Elections but it looks likely that more will be selected by party HQ.

The party held its local candidate selection convention behind closed doors at the Killeshin Hotel on last Friday, June 9.

All of its sitting councillors made the convention cut while some of the high-profile hopefuls missed out.

The Convention at the Killeshin Hotel was  chaired by Minister of State Jack Chambers who is also Director of Elections for the party nationally. Laois FF said 130 members attended.

With less than a year to go before the poll in May 2024, a total of 13 names were in the hat for selection. The party currently has six councillors on the local authority where 19 seats will be up for grabs next year.

The sitting councillors on the ticket again include Catherine Fitzgerald, John Joe Fennelly both Portlaoise.

Paschal McEvoy, Padraig Fleming are confirmed to run again in the Portarlington / Graiguecullen Municipal District.

Outgoing and long sitting councillors Seamus McDonald and Paddy Bracken were backed to run again in the Borris in Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District.

Declan Goode, who ran unsuccessfully in 2019, got enough votes from delegates to run again. Castletown-based Fint Cuddy from Castletown also made it through the convention.

Both will run in the Borris / Mountmellick District.

The only hopeful not to make it through the convention in the same district was former GAA President Liam O'Neill. He failed in his bid to be elected to the council in 2019.

There are seven seats up for grabs in the Portlaoise district. Delegates decided against the selection of  Eimhin McEvoy, Pauline Flanagan and Naeem Iqbal in the Portlaoise District.

Ms Flanagan is a former county councillor and general election candidate. Mr Iqbal contested the 2019 local elections as an independent. 

Laois FF PRO William Delaney confirmed that another candidate could be selected for the Portlaoise area.

“There will be a discussion between the parties National Constituencies Committee, the candidates and the Laois officer board on the selection of another candidate that will be added to the ticket,” he said.

Before the convention, Mr Delaney said that there is no set rule that it has to be a person that has received a nomination to be selected but in most circumstances, it would be one of the people who went before convention.

He also said there is no mandated gender quota at the local election level but every effort is made to support any female candidates we have.

Willie Ramsbottom did not make the cut in the Port Graiguecullen district where there are six council seats up for grabs.

The party was hit with a resignation in the months leading up to the convention. Donal Kelly was the official Local Area Representative and Deputy Chairman of Portlaoise FF.

"The notion of one member, one vote is a mere fallacy within Fianna Fáil, it has proven itself to be undemocratic as the mandarins in Mount Street call the shots in Laois,” he said at the time.

The party has declined to comment on his resignation.