Calleary to be sole Fianna Fáíl candidate in Mayo

Calleary to be sole Fianna FΡíl candidate in Mayo


Anton McNulty

POTENTIAL Fianna FΡil candidates have until lunch time on Wednesday to be considered to join Dara Calleary on the party’s General Election ticket but it is increasingly unlikely that a second Fianna FΡiler will not be on the ballot paper on February 25.
Dara Calleary, TD, the current Minister for Labour Affairs, was the only candidate selected to run for Fianna FΡil at their selection convention held in the Welcome Inn on Sunday. The convention was chaired by retiring Sligo/North Leitrim TD, Dr Jimmy Devins, and while the Ballina man was the only name forwarded at the convention, a window has been left open for another person to be considered for selection.
However with the new party leadership preferring one candidate in each constituency to safeguard at least one seat, it is unlikely that another candidate will be added to the ticket. A one candidate strategy is unlikely to please some Fianna FΡil delegates especially in the west of the county with some privately expressing their misgivings of the situation.
At the last convention for the 2007 General Election, eight candidates put their names forward for two places and in his address to delegates, Minister Calleary made reference to the current situation the party was in. He said he would have no objection to another person being added to the ticket and urged party members to get the vote out across the county.
“I would rather I had a running mate and I make no secret of that and there is still a chance. But if it is to be that I am the only candidate, I will not let you down as a organisation. I will ensure that no stone is left unturned on my part to get to every door in this county if possible.
“I am still here and fighting and I am not going anywhere in the next four weeks except every nook and cranny in this county to get every Fianna FΡil vote out to retain my seat. It is not Dara Calleary’s seat, it is your seat it is the seat of every Fianna FΡíl member in this county and I will work with all of you throughout the county. I need you to sell the message of delivery across the county,” he said.
Minister Calleary praised Brian Cowen for all the work he has done for the party and the country and having the confidence in him to give him a junior ministry. He said that MicheΡl Martin would bring back ‘energy’ and a ‘bounce’ to the party’s fortunes. Minister Calleary told the delegates that the party was undergoing a rebuilding process to return to ‘political greatness’ and that process will begin with the 2014 local elections.
He echoed his party leader’s comments that mistakes have been made but added that Fianna FΡil had a lot to be proud of their time in government.
“Yes we didn’t get everything right, we have made mistakes in relation to taxation and relation to expenditure. We got to be honest to people but equally we didn’t do everything wrong either. Are you telling me that the 10,000 extra SMA who have radicalised special needs education were a mistake. Or that fact that 1.8 million people are working, 400,000 more than when Fine Gael and Labour were last in government. They were not mistakes either.
“Over the past four years when many in this county have talked about things I have gone on and tried to deliver. The most important issue we face today is unemployment and the creation of employment. We’ve got to create jobs to keep our people working here and stop the curse of emigration from taking hold again. In relation to Knock Airport, we have commissioned a report through Shannon Development that will guide the employment potential of the airport and the business park. ”