Fine Gael to move straight to General Election Laois candidate selection after local poll - Charlie Flanagan

Fine Gael in Laois will not delay in selecting a candidate to run from the General Election with the pick likely to be made from a small number of candidates who have contested the Laois local elections.

That's according to outgoing and retiring TD for the party Charlie Flanagan who also reflected on his party's local election result in an interview with the Leinster Express / Laois Live.  

"The response was extraordinarily positive. I have not had a negative word said to me in the whole campaign which caused me some soul-searching on the night before the count.

"In many respects, the result reflects that because the age-old adversaries Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have done reasonably well. I am pleased with the performance after 13 years in Government," he said.

He admitted the potential for Laois Fine Gael seats to be lost adding that he would be very disappointed if that turns out to be the case as there was a good set of candidates.

"I acknowledge that is going to be difficult for all to be elected. That's elections there are winners and non-winners," he said.

He also expects a General Election candidate to emerge for Fine Gael from those returned to County Hall. Conor Bergin, Willie Aird and Thomasina Connell have all been mentioned as candidates. Dep Flanagan would not be drawn on who he would endorse but insisted there would be no delay in the party making a decision.

"From my perspective, this election was a test as to the runners and riders and I think our party members will take serious note of that. As soon as these boxes are put away all eyes in Fine Gael will turn to the General Election and how best we build our team," he said.

Dep Flanagan also commented on the main opposition party's performance.

"Sinn Féin had a bad day. It shows that politics of negativity and misery don't work. People want constructive policy, they want plans and they want a positive vision of Ireland. They have none of that with Sinn Féin," he said.

He reflected on what would be his last local election as a TD.

"I have mixed feelings because it is my first election count where I know that I do not have a future in electoral politics. I have stood at nine general elections and been at every Laois Offaly count since 1977 both general and local.

"I was heavily invested in all either through my father, myself or my electoral team. This count is tinged with sadness as I experience the changing of the guard," he said.

Fine Gael will be fighting for one of three seats in Laois at the next General Election.