Two candidates from Carrick-on-Suir area are standing in Waterford council election

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Fine Gael Cllr Seanie Power from Rathgormack and Fianna Fáil candidate from Carrickbeg are contesting the Portlaw-Kilmacthomas (Comeragh) Local Electoral Area election

The fates of Carrick-on-Suir town’s two county councillors will be decided at the Tipperary Count Centre in Thurles this weekend but two other local candidates are also running for seats on Waterford City & County Council.

As Cllrs Kieran Bourke and David Dunne wait anxiously at the Presentation Secondary School’s sports centre in Thurles for the votes in Carrick-on-Suir Local Electoral Area to be counted, so too will Carrickbeg native Ray Murphy and Rathgormack Cllr Seanie Power at the Waterford Count Centre.

Fianna Fáil candidate Ray Murphy is son of former Carrick-on-Suir councillor Patsy Murphy and his wife Allie from Castle Court, Carrickbeg. He is campaigning to regain the Waterford council seat he narrowly lost in the 2019 election when his Local Electoral Area was reduced from a six to a five seater.

Fine Gael Cllr Seanie Power from Ballyclough, Rathgormack, is seeking to retain the council seat, which he has held since 2014.

Both are running in the Portlaw-Kilmacthomas (Comeragh) Local Electoral Area, which stretches right up to the Carrick town boundary at Carrickbeg.

Fianna Fáil candidate Ray Murphy

Ray Murphy lives in Portlaw and works at MSD pharmaceutical plant at Ballydine near Carrick. His dad Patsy, the former proprietor of Abbey Stores in Carrickbeg, served as a Fianna Fáil councillor on Carrick-on-Suir Urban District Council and Carrick Town Council for 25 years up to 2009.

The father-of-two is chairperson of Portlaw Tidy Towns and tackling illegal dumping and littering are one of his prime concerns along with the provision of social housing, affordable housing and addressing the homeless problem and securing investments for roads in Comeragh Municipal District.

FG Cllr Seanie Power

Cllr Seanie Power, meanwhile, is campaigning on his long track record of community involvement and 10 years experience as a councillor in Comeragh Municipal District.

The farmer is chairperson of Comeragh Community Text Alert Group and is a member of Carrickbeg/ Windgap IFA Branch and the ICMSA.

The father-of-three also has strong associations with the GAA having played for St Molleran’s, Rathgormack and Clonea GAA Clubs and been a founding member of Comeragh Rangers Ladies Football Club.

He says he is a strong voice for rural communities in Comeragh MD.

His top priorities are rural planning issues and securing housing adaptation grants for older people and people with disabilities as well as fighting for better rural roads and rural services.

He is also focused on helping communities avail of government funding for projects.