Parties eye up Brian Lenihan’s seat

POTENTIAL candidates in the upcoming by-election to fill the Dublin West seat left vacant by the sad passing of Brian Lenihan in June are still waiting for a polling date to be fixed.
It was expected that the by-election would be held on October 27 in tandem with the presidential poll and three referenda. But with just two months to go a decision has still not been made.New legislation stipulating that a by-election must be held within six months of a Dail vacancy was introduced last month but it doesn’t apply to Dublin West as the late Deputy Lenihan passed away before it was signed into law by President Mary McAleese.While any TD can move a writ calling for the election to be held, it’s traditional for the party which held the seat to make the call.Fingal councillor David McGuinness, who ran alongside Brian Lenihan in February’s general election, is expected by many to get nod from Fianna Fail to defend the party’s seat.Brian Lenihan’s brother, former Dublin South West TD Conor Lenihan, has been mentioned as a possible candidate. However, Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin is currently working on rejuvenating the party after its mauling at the polls earlier this year and is said to favour younger candidates.At 27, Cllr McGuinness fits the profile of an ambitious, young candidate with potential and is a loyal party member who is hoping to be selected to run.He told Northside People he hasn’t heard anything official and wasn’t reading too much into the fact that a date has not been set yet.

“If it’s not held in October I’d image it wouldn’t be held before the budget so we’d be looking at early 2012,

? he said.

“I’m always ready to stand for the party at any time. Brian wanted me to run with him in the general election to help build my profile and I think I’ve done that.

?Cllr McGuinness added that while he wasn’t taking anything for granted regarding the party nomination, he didn’t think Conor Lenihan would be selected to run.

“If I didn’t get the nomination I wouldn’t let it get me down, but I don’t think there’s any appetite for nepotism in the party. We’re on a renewal streak and I think the party wants new, younger candidates.

“I think we can win the by-election. It’s our seat and we want to hold it.

“The Government has a huge majority and they need to be held to account. Credible opposition is needed so parliament can work more effectively and that’s what we offer.

?Both Ladbrokes and Paddy Power have Fianna Fail as second favourites at 15/8 to retain the party seat, just behind Labour at odds of around 6/4.Labour councillor Patrick Nulty is hopeful of securing his party’s nomination to run and believes the by-election should take place

“sooner rather than later

?.The Blanchardstown representative is keen to distance himself from some of the unpopular decisions being taken by the Government, particularly by Fine Gael’s Minister for Health James Reilly.

“This coalition Government is not homogenous; there are different views,

? Cllr Nulty said.

“For example, I will bitterly oppose any attempt to end 24 hour A&E services at James Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown.

? Cllr Nulty said he reacted with

“shock and dismay

? to the HSE’s recent imposition of a 37 per cent cut to the hospital’s accident and emergency budget.

“The community in West Dublin will fight tooth and nail to prevent Connolly Hospital from becoming another Roscommon,

? he vowed.Fine Gael’s Kieran Dennison is expected to run for third favourites Fine Gael. He polled well with over 3,000 first preference votes in the general election when he ran alongside Leo Varadkar but may find it difficult in a constituency where left wing parties perform strongly.The Socialist Party has already approved Mulhuddart based Councillor Ruth Coppinger to enter the race, in the hope of winning a second Dublin West seat for the party alongside popular TD Joe Higgins.Speaking to Northside People this week, Cllr Coppinger claimed the chances of success are not as far-fetched as they might seem.

“In the past, having no Fianna Fáil TD in Dublin would have seemed preposterous, but these are extraordinary times, and I don’t think they will even be in the race unless they find the Dalai Lama or Gandhi to run,

? she said.The Socialist Party is in favour of holding the by-election within six months of a vacancy arising, but Cllr Coppinger thinks it’s likely that the contest will be held in October for more cynical reasons.

“The Government will deliberately have the by-election before the most vicious budget in the history of the State,

? she predicted.Local Sinn Féin representative Paul Donnelly, who is confident of getting his party’s nomination at a selection convention to be held in the next few weeks, is adamant that the ballot should be held on the same day as the presidential election.

“It’s the most logical step: people will be out, the election machine will be in place, it makes sense to hold the by-election at the same time,

? said the Clonsilla-based representative.Although Sinn Féin has struggled to gain a foothold in the constituency, Mr Donnelly says a strong public backlash against the Government parties could turn the tide in his favour.

“People on the streets feel very angry at the broken pre-election promises made by Fine Gael and Labour,

? he said.

“They said they would not cut frontline services, but at least e300,000 has been cut from the A&E budget at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown. People feel betrayed.

?Green Party Dublin West representative Roderick O’Gorman is counting on the

“unpredictability

? factor in by-elections to help garner votes for a party that was obliterated in the recent general election.

“The Dublin West constituency has always had four very well-known political names and none of them are on the ballot paper for this by-election, so that opens up the field,

? he told Northside People.The Blanchardstown based Green admitted that it will take some time to rebuild the party from its humiliating defeat in February. However, he believes that by-elections are more personality-driven than party-driven, and that his local track record will stand him in good stead.

“I’m seeking to win, I’m not just running up the numbers,

? Mr O’Gorman stated.

“This will be the fifth election I’ve stood in over the last seven years, and I’m well-known in the area on issues such as our relationship with Europe, constitutional reform and law.

?