Independents dominate final list of Laois local election candidates

The field of candidates bidding to represent the people of Laois on Laois County Council has been finalised with the Portlaoise electoral ara attracting the biggest number of a election hopefuls.

The deadline for nominations was 12 noon on Saturday, May 18 but candidates had until noon, Monday, May 20 to withdraw. However, none of the 47 declared candidates pulled out in the 48-hour cooling off period. 

Portlaoise looks set to be the big battleground in the Laois local elections with 20 candidates. A total of 12 candidates are contesting the heavily populated and fast growing Graiguecullen Portarlington Municipal District.  There are 15 candidates in the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick electoral area.

The election is notable for the large number of independent candidates. There are 12 candidates who are not aligned with any party.

Fianna Fáil is the party with the most candidates at 11 followed by Fine Gael with eight hopefuls. Sinn Féin has seven candidates. The Green Party and the Labour Party are running three candidates each. Independent Ireland has two candidates while Aontú has one candidate.

A total of 11 women are contesting. All of the outgoing 19 councillors are running again.

The 20 candidates for seven Portlaoise Municipal District seats are:

• Fianna Fáil: John Joe Fennelly, Catherine Fitzgerald, Naeem Iqbal.
• Fine Gael: Willie Aird, Barry Walsh, Thomasina Connell
• Sinn Féin: Caroline Dwane Stanley, Jason Phelan, Maria McCormack
• Labour: Marie Tuohy
• Green Party: Rosie Palmer
• Aontú: Martha Ryan
• Independent Ireland: Collette Byrne
• Non-party: Noel Burke, Pauline Flanagan, Donal Kelly, Dominic Dunne, Tommy Mulligan, Bolaji Adeyanju, John Cowig

There are six seats in the Graiguecullen Portarlington Municipal District. The declared candidates are:

• FF: Padraig Fleming, Joey Kennedy, Paschal McEvoy
• FG: PJ Kelly, Vivienne Phelan
• SF: Aidan Mullins, Aaron Kelly
• Greens: Charlie Hackett
• Labour: Eoin Barry
• Independent Ireland: Patsy Fennell
• Non-party: Ben Brennan, Aisling Moran

There are a further six seats in the Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District. The candidates are:

• FF: Paddy Bracken, Fintan Cuddy, Declan Goode, Seamus McDonald, Brian Phelan
• FG: John King, Conor Bergin, Paddy Buggy
• SF: Helen Campion, Lorna Holohan Garry
• Labour: Bryan Corrigan
• Greens: Fiona Dunne
• Non-party: James Kelly, Ollie Clooney, Kevin Drennan

Voting takes place on June 7 at polling stations around the county from 7am to 10pm.

Laois people will also have the opportunity to vote for candidates on the same day in the European elections. Laois is in the Midlands North West constituency which has the biggest field with 28 politicians set to go before the people in 14 counties.