Significant number of Cork councillors seeking a Dáil seat in general election

Twelve county and 10 city councillors are running the upcoming general election, with the possibility of 18 new councillors needed to replace them if the maximum amount possible are elected

Since 2003, you cannot be both a member of the Dáil and a member of a local authority, and the last general election saw several councillors co-opted to replace newly elected TDs.

Mick Nugent was co-opted for Thomas Gould in Cork North West, Ann Marie Ahern was co-opted for James O’Connor in East Cork and in West Cork, Deirdre Kelly was co-opted to replace Christopher O’Sullivan and Ross O’Connell to replace Holly Cairns.

In the upcoming elections, Fine Gael are running councillors Noel McCarthy in East Cork, Garret Kelleher in North Central, John Paul O’Shea and Michael Creed in North West, Úna McCarthy and Shane O’Callaghan in South Central and Noel O’Donovan in South West. Fianna Fáil are running councillors Deirdre O’Brien in East Cork, Tony Fitzgerald in Cork North Central and Seamus McGrath in South Central, while Sinn Féin are running Joe Lynch in North Central.

The Social Democrats Liam Quaide and Padraig Rice are running in East Cork and Cork South Central respectively, the Greens are running Oliver Moran in North Central, and Labour is running Eoghan Kenny and John Maher in North Central and Laura Harmon in South Central.

There are also a number of independents running — Mary Linehan Foley and William O’Leary in East Cork, Paudie Dineen in South Central and Alan Coleman in South West as well as Independent Ireland’s Ken O’Flynn in North Central.

Rules

Under the current rules, if a sitting councillor who belongs to a party is elected to the Dáil, then the seat must be occupied by someone from the same political party.

Party members in the outgoing councillor’s area decide the replacement, with Fine Gael’s Noel O’Donovan, who topped the poll in Skibbereen in June, explaining: “If I am fortunate enough to be elected Fine Gael will hold a selection convention to selection a replacement. This would include a nomination and voting process.”

Padraig Rice of the Social Democrats explained: “We are blessed in the Soc Dems to have loads of members who are deeply involved in their local communities. We have many members who would make fantastic councillors.

“If I’m lucky enough to be elected to the Dáil we will pick someone who can hit the ground running. Someone who can continue the work I started on tackling dereliction, fixing footpath and improving public spaces.”

The Green party’s Oliver Moran said that his replacement would be “decided by the party members registered in the North East ward. The party meets locally as the two north city wards combined.” 

Co-option

He added that Louise Jordan and Clodagh Harrington, who ran in the local elections but were not elected were two who may be considered, adding “That’s not to say that either of those people would put themselves forward for co-option in that eventuality, or who else may, or who would be chosen by the party members.”

Independent councilllors can nominate a person of their choice when elected to the Dáil.

William O’Leary, who topped the poll in Fermoy in June, told The Echo that he has already selected James Mccarthy from Rathcormac to replace him.

If all the councillors running were elected, Fermoy would lose three councillors, Carrigaline, East Cork and Kanturk Mallow would lose two and Bandon-Kinsale, West Cork and Macroom would lose one.

In the city, the North East ward stands to lose three councillors, as do South Central and South West, while North West could lose one councillor.