Former GAA president giving politics another go in Laois
Laois Fianna Fáil has finalised the list of members aiming to be selected to run for the party in the 2024 Local Elections.
The party has confirmed that all of the sitting councillors are seeking nominations again. Among the others to see the nomination is Trumera man Liam O'Neill who was GAA president from 2012 to 2015. The former teacher ran unsuccessfully in the 2019 elections.
Another non-sitting councillor is former councillor and General Election candidate Pauline Flanagan.
With less than a year to go before the poll in May 2024, a total of 13 names will go before the Fianna Fáil candidate selection convention in Portlaoise on Friday, June 9. It currently has six councillors on the local authority where 19 seats will be up for grabs. The party intends to run a total of seven candidates.
The Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District will have four candidates with six seats on offer.
The party aims to run three candidates in the Portlaoise area where there are seven seats available.
It looks as though there will be no convention contest in the second most populated Laois district with Willie Ramsbottom putting his name forward alongside the sitting councillors for the three candidates positions.
Laois Fianna Fáil confirmed that names can be added by the National Constituencies Committee subsequent to the convention.
It said there is no set rule that it has to be a person that has received a nomination but in most circumstances, it would be.
A spokesperson said there is no mandated gender quota at the local election level but every effort will be made to support any female candidates we have.
The following is the list of people seeking the nomination:
Portlaoise Municipal District: Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, Cllr. John Joe Fennelly, Eimhin McEvoy, Pauline Madigan, Naeem Iqbal
Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District: Cllr Seamus McDonald, Cllr. Paddy Bracken, Declan Goode, Liam O'Neill, Fintin Cuddy
Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District: Cllr Pascal McEvoy, Cllr. Padraig Fleming, Willie Ramsbottom.
The convention takes place in the Killeshin Hotel on Friday, June 9.