Mayo woman fights for Brian Lenihan’s seat in Dublin-West

Mayo woman fights for Lenihan’s seat


Trevor Quinn

For Mayo woman Eithne Loftus, being selected to represent Fine Gael in the upcoming Dublin West by-election is ‘the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition’.
Ms Loftus will contest to win the seat in the Dublin West by-election vacated as a result of the death earlier this year of former Finance Minister Brian Lenihan. Cllr Loftus who is originally from Bekan, Claremorris, is a long-standing Fine Gael activist and has served as Chairperson of Fine Gael in Dublin West.
The selection of Cllr Loftus was made by members of the local party at a convention in Castleknock Hotel in Dublin on Tuesday night last, September 27. She subsequently defeated Cllr Kieran Dennison, who had polled strongly in the February general election.
Cllr Loftus was co-opted onto Fingal County Council in 2007, filling the seat formerly held by Minister Leo Varadkar TD. She stood for election to the Council in 2009 and was elected with over 3,000 first preferences.