*Fianna Fáil General Election candidates, Cathal Crowe TD, Senator Timmy Dooley and Cllr Rita McInerney.
FIANNA FÁIL’s General Election candidates in Clare have said the constituencies history of shock results could see the party elect three TDs in the county.
On Tuesday night, sitting TD, Cathal Crowe (FF), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) were selected as the Fianna Fáil candidates for the General Election in Clare. The selection convention was chaired by Tipperary TD, Jackie Cahill (FF).
There was a big attendance in the region of 200 plus which included Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF), Cllr Joe Killeen (FF), Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF), Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF), Cllr Pat Hayes (FF), Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF), Cllr David Griffin (FF) and party strategist Gerry Reidy.
Deputy Crowe told the convention, “I firmly believe a three candidate strategy is the best one for Fianna Fáil”. He said while they ran the same ticket in February 2020 and only elected him, he believed it was a much stronger option now, “I also believe that Rita, Timmy and I are personally stronger in the political scene than we would have been five years ago, I have four years under my belt as a TD, Rita recently topped the poll in the Kilrush LEA and Timmy has maintained a high profile in Seanad Éireann”.
Meelick native Crowe said he was a very proud Republican who valued ‘The Republican Party’ slogan as the driving ethos of Fianna Fáil, he said the equality of access to healthcare, housing and opportunities for young people and persons in rural areas should be a focus. Over the past year, Deputy Crowe said he has held over 300 clinics across the county and that he is the only TD in Clare to hold constituency clinics.
He said, “Over the coming months I will work doggedly to ensure Fianna Fáil will have a maximum outcome from this election, I will burn shoe leather, not figuratively but literally working in conjunction with Timmy and Rita, party councillors and members to ensure we have a really good election”.
Crowe concluded, “We’re a party of 700 members with three candidates and one goal which is to gain a seat for Fianna Fáil. Tonight the whole world will obsess on the Donald Trump and Kamala Harris Presidential election debate with people talking a lot over the coming months about bellwether states in the USA such as Ohio and Arizona, I hope that come the next General Election that Co Clare will be a bellwether constituency in Ireland for Fianna Fáil and winning three seats”.
Senator Dooley in a lengthy address which his supporters joked was worthy of a Guinness World Record Attempt saw him give a passionate speech to members. He said “a tremendous effort” had been made within his constituency office since he lost his seat as a TD, he previously had three members of staff but as a Senator can only have one which is his wife Emer but they have been aided by the “voluntary services” of Martin O’Loghlen, his former parliamentary assistant.
According to Dooley, Fianna Fáil can return a second seat. “Delegates you can stand over Fianna Fáil’s delivery in Government”. Challenges exist and he urged members to understand them so they could “tackle the soundbytes from the opposition”. He spoke of his disappointment at how the ACRES scheme has transpired and predicted migration would be “a very big issue for this election”.
“Unfounded concerns” have emanated in Kilrush on plans to house 27 asylum seekers, he said. “We have to push back against the far right, we have to make sure our systems are fair and solid, if people fail to meet the standards for asylum we have to ensure that they are moved back”. Dublin Airport’s passenger cap will be lifted he said but “huge opportunity” still exists for Shannon Airport, “Dublin can’t be sucking all the life like it has done”.
West Clare is where one of the “biggest opportunities” for the county lies with ESB’s Green Atlantic plans at Moneypoint, Senator Dooley maintained while pointing out that data centre operators are looking at this region. “We’ve proven we can be trusted to manage the finances in a prudent manner that can support the most vulnerable”.
He continued, “We’ve a lot of work to do and it is to do convince the people of Clare that their lives are better served with Fianna Fái influence in Government and I think that will be an easier job than five years ago. I think we can deliver two seats and I know we will”.
Cllr McInerney was the last of the three candidates to speak. “Together using our combined knowledge, experience, backgrounds and associates, East and West of the county I believe we can deliver three seats and cause a shock in the county”. She asked members to promote the candidates “fairly to the people and let them decide in order of their preference on who they believe have the potential to represent them best”.
Through her shop in Doonbeg, Cllr McInerney said she is “constantly engaging with people on their everyday problems, I have my finger on the pulse of the wrist of the people of West Clare”.
As a constituency, Cllr McInerney said “Clare is wide open, people are willing to give us the opportunity to win three seats, Clare has delivered shocking results, we started with an outsider in de Valera, we can win three seats, I know members can doubt that and they have asked me to consider my future, I understand that but when you have your ear on the ground, you hear that people believe in Fianna Fáil again, as the only West Clare candidate I will bring that representation and balance that is needed to the Dáil, my constituents see what I stand for and the hard work we are putting in at local and national level”.
Issues cited by Rita included a crisis in emergency health provision, poor water quality and supply, condition of roads and the lack of support for farmers. She remarked, “Fine Gael are feeling the pressure, Sinn Féin are in retreat, the Greens cannot connect with the people, we must strike now to show unity and strength, if we don’t one of our candidates will fall”. The former Ennis Chamber CEO continued, “I am the progressive change the party needs, I won the hearts and minds in WC and I will win more across the county. I simply cannot and I will not back away from this fight, I would not forgive myself, the people of Clare need representation in the forgotten parts of West Clare and North Clare”.
