Build-up to May 24

Build-up to May 24

Michael Duffy

HE kept us waiting and then did it in totally unexpected fashion, but Bertie Ahern’s unconventional actions are now consigned to history. Election 2007 will take place on Thursday, May 24, and the race for the 30th Dáil promises to be an almighty battle, especially here in Mayo.
Thirteen candidates have declared in the constituency and, with all the major parties already represented, it is unlikely that any other candidate will enter the race at this late stage.
A flurry of activity swept the county just after dawn on Sunday morning with all the different camps trying to mobilise their troops as quickly as possible in order to position their election posters in prime locations.
However, there were no such problems in Westport where a ‘gentleman’s agreement’, organised by Westport Tidy Town’s Committee, has been put in place in order to keep the town centre of Ireland’s Tidiest Town free of any ‘poster clutter’. Cathaoirleach of Westport Town Council, Tereasa McGuire, is confident that all the candidates will abide by the agreement.
Of course, here in Mayo we have, for the first time ever, a potential Taoiseach running in the constituency and Enda Kenny was in bullish form on Sunday as he started out on what is likely to be a long and gruelling 24-day campaign.
He intends to visit all 26 counties during the campaign - and as a consequence his Director of Elections, Paddy Burke, has warned that the Fine Gael leader will probably only be able to canvass his home constituency on two occasions.
“The reality of the situation is that people in all 43 constituencies will want to see Enda Kenny over the next month and he will probably only be able to get out and canvass in Mayo possibly twice, over the next week and towards the end of the campaign. However, Enda is fully aware what the people of this county need and if he is the next Taoiseach he will do his level best to address their concerns,” said Senator Burke.