Laois and Offaly, Local Elections 2009

[Effin Effer!!!]

Obviously like myself you have very strong opinions on this matter, so I think we will have to agree to disagree.I will leave you with this suggestion,Fergus McDonnell, Noel Bourke, Liam Hogan and a lot of Ger Killally's votes got 3 Councillors elected last time.The reason the constituency has increased from 5 to 6 seats is due in the main to the population increase in Edenderry town. Tom Nolan's poor showing at the last Local election and the poor response to John Foley's general election campaign from North Portarlington suggests to me that this area is no longer a Fianna Fail stronghold for whatever reason! (just a suggestion)
Edenderry Town has been and remains a serious Fianna Fail bastion.
Most of the Town electorate look down the ballot paper and vote 1 and 2 for the nearest Fianna Fail candidates to the town. They then, as was the case with Fergus McDonnell and Liam Hogan, vote for the local town candidates.
These are the facts.
John Foley and Noel Bourke will be elected on the first count, Stephen Mather and whoever the party chooses from the rhode area are unknowns in Edenderry so will not poll well. This is why in my opinion Fianna Fail must run a 3rd person in the town.
I genuinely have no problem with people running from anywhere they want to, as is their democratic right but Edenderry can and will if allowed win 3 FF seats in Edenderry.
Why not as I heard was suggested at a FF meeting sometime ago, run 5 people and satisfy all opinions?

Your points in order.

(1) Fergus McDonnell (P.D./Ind.) recieved a large number of transfers from Tom Nolan (F.F.) and Frank Weir (F.F./Ind), before grabbing the seat without reaching the quota. Eddie Fitzpatrick (P.D./Ind.) took Nolan's seat in North Portarlington and McDonnell took Weir's from the Walsh Island/Bracknagh/Clonbullogue area.

(2) The people who voted for Liam Hogan (F.G.) last time will not transfer to a Fianna Fail candidate, especially in the current climate.

(3) Ger Killally's core vote came from the Rhode/Daingean area. He did well in all boxes across North Offaly mainly due to his General Election campaign two years previous.

(4) The L.E.A. did increase in size partly due to the rise in population in Edenderry Town. Most of these new inhabitants aren't registered to vote. Of the population who are registered barely 50% bothered to vote in the '07 General Election even with a candidate from the town running.

(5) Before Noel Bourke took his seat in 1991, Edenderry Town failed to elect a Fianna Fail County Councillor for nearly 30 years. Hardly what I would I would call a bastion of Fianna Fail support. The party in Edenderry town relies on the hard work and highly regarded reputations of Noel Bourke and John Foley for its electoral strength at both County and Town Council.

(6) Our poor performance in North Portarlington and the surrounding area since Ger Connolly retired from politics, is due solely to the caliber of the candidates (or lack thereof) we have put forward for election. John Foley's failure to mount an effective canvass of that area (where he was an unknown) allowed John Molloney and Brian Cowen to sweep the Fianna Fail votes from the boxes there.

(7) If 3 candidates were placed on the party ticket in Edenderry Town, the Fianna Fail vote would be split three ways. How many of them will be elected on the first count if this happens? With the qouta at about 1,400 this year it would require Fianna Fail to get a vote of nearly 4,000 from the town which if memory serves me has a total human population of circa 5,000.

(8) The more candidates you place on the ticket the more transfers you lose from the party as each is eliminated.
e.g. Fine Gael last time out - 4 candidates / 2 quotas / 1 councillor!

(9) For your information

5,617 Population of Edenderry Town (Census 2007)

3,967 Registered Voters in Edenderry Town - all booths - (Electoral Register Lisbon Treaty)

2,618* Turnout of 66% (General Election 2007 - average for North Offaly - Optimistic!)

1,182 Quota at last Local Election.

1,400 Estimated Quota for Local Election 2009.

1,047* Fianna Fail Vote of 45% in Edenderry Town - Very Optimistic!!!

Do the maths! There certainly aren't enough votes in Edenderry Town for 3 candidates.

[Effin Effer!!!]

Just when we thought thing's might settle down!

It's being sugested and confirmed in the Fianna Fail section that Rhode and Offaly footballer Niall McNamee went for a selection interview in headquarters last week (escorted by the Rhode Cumann Chairman) to try and get his name added to the party ticket in the Edenderry L.E.A.

Looks like they boy's in Rhode want the seat to stay in the town when Cllr. Ger Killally finishes his term instead of being passed into Edenderry Town.

Either way it will cause serious ripples with the grassroots. Anyone got any views on this one?

[anotherred]

Strange one this, while young McNamee is a nice chap,has he been involved at cumann level before? Fine Gael's Quinn will mop up a huge amount of Ger Killally's Rhode vote, What will happen to the other person interviewed for the Rhode Fianna Fail nomination?

[Effin Effer!!!]

Strange one this, while young McNamee is a nice chap,has he been involved at cumann level before? Fine Gael's Quinn will mop up a huge amount of Ger Killally's Rhode vote, What will happen to the other person interviewed for the Rhode Fianna Fail nomination?

He's not involved in the party at all, and never has to my knowledge!

Also I can't see him doing well outside of Rhode itself, apart from Bourke and Foley at this stage I couldn't even guess who'll be selected by H.Q. its all up in the air!!!

To be honest alot of the potential candidates I've spoken to are getting a bit gittery. Not because of McNamee as such, but because its under three and a half months now to the election and most believed that they would know who was on or off the ticket well before the Ard Fheis. Instead they find out that interviews are still ongoing even though the main interviews were held over a month ago. Its alot of canvassing to get through in a short period of time, and to be honest its not very fair on them wheather their on the ticket or not, they should know by now. As you pointed out Fine Gael are getting very active already and we're not even walking to the starting blocks yet!

[anotherred]

Have any Fianna Fail Candidates been selected in any part of the country or is it only in Offaly that the delay is?

[Effin Effer!!!]

Have any Fianna Fail Candidates been selected in any part of the country or is it only in Offaly that the delay is?

I'm told that there are one or two constituencies that havn't even been interviewed yet!

But we certainly seem to be at the very end of the list in H.Q.

By the way I've since found out that the Chairman of Rhode Cumann, Mr. Jody Gunning was actually going for interview that day himself!

[anotherred]

How can this happen? Members told that a date deadline had been set, and then a whole host of extra interviews held after the set date?

[Effin Effer!!!]

How can this happen? Members told that a date deadline had been set, and then a whole host of extra interviews held after the set date?

I know its completely ridiculous!

Again for your information the candidates for Tullamore U.D.C. were announced last night at a Tullamore Cumann meeting after alot of pressure was placed on H.Q. by the Chairperson.

5 candidates - Two are outgoing Cllr's. Sinead Dooley and Paddy Rowland also Shane Murray, a lad by the name of McCormack from outside the party and one other.

Exactly 14 weeks till polling day and we're still no further than we were when Sean Dorgan addressed us about the new slick method for choosing candidates over a year ago.

[Swingingdoor]

How can it happoen?
It's Fianna Fáil, stupid!

[Effin Effer!!!]

How can it happoen?
It's Fianna Fáil, stupid!

If you have something to say that would enlighten the discussion, please do.

But theres no need for the insults!