Mayo Fine Gael extend general election selection deadline

MINISTER Alan Dillon remains the only nominee for Fine Gael’s upcoming Mayo general election selection convention after the party extended its deadline for nominations.

Candidates seeking to run in the five-seat Mayo have been given until Wednesday, August 28, to formally submit their nomination.

A party source confirmed to The Mayo News that Minister Dillon was the only candidate so far nominated to contest the selection convention, which is scheduled for September 15. 

The source added it was ‘highly likely’ that unsuccessful local election candidate Keira Keogh, Cllr Alma Gallagher and Cllr John O’Hara would seek nominations. 

Fine Gael is currently in talks with potential candidates in the north, east and south of Mayo.

The party was understood to be considering approaching retired county councillor John Cribbin to run for the Dáil. However, The Mayo News understands it is unlikely that Cllr Cribbin will put his name forward, nor will recently re-elected MEP Maria Walsh. Erris-based county councillor Gerry Coyle has also confirmed that he is not interested in running for the Dáil. 

Parties will be vying for an extra seat in this general election due to the redrawing of the constituency boundary maps. 

Long-serving TD Michael Ring will be absent from the Fine Gael ticket after he announced his retirement following 45 years in politics. 

Deputy Ring is understood to be supportive of Keira Keogh running to try and retain his seat for the party. Ms Keogh received 1,184 first preference votes before being eliminated on the fourth count when she ran in the four-seat Westport Local Electoral Area in the recent local elections.