Anger at Fine Gael directive about candidate selection for Coveney’s Cork seat
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Fine Gael members reacted angrily last night over a “bullshit” party directive about candidate selection in Cork South Central as the party sets out to retain the seat held by former Tánaiste Simon Coveney for 26 years.
About 300 party members met in a Cork city hotel for their first contested selection convention in the constituency for years.
Five candidates put their names forward — recent poll-topping Cork city councillor Shane O’Callaghan; former MEP candidate John Mullins, who received over 33,000 first-preference votes in the Ireland South constituency during the recent European elections; senator Jerry Buttimer; Cork city councillor Des Cahill; and Cork county councillor Úna McCarthy.
There had been speculation that one candidate would be chosen and that perhaps a further two candidates would be added to the ticket closer to the election.
Each candidate made their pitch to a packed conference room at the Cork Airport International Hotel, but party members reacted angrily when minister of state Jennifer Carroll MacNeill opened an envelope and read a directive from party headquarters which stated that two candidates should be chosen, and that one should be from the Carrigaline area.
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It effectively meant that Carrigaline-based councillor Úna McCarthy, the only female candidate, would be added to the ticket, irrespective of how members voted.
One member attending the packed selection convention branded it as ‘bullshit’, while others voiced their anger over “being dictated to” by party headquarters.
Ms MacNeill said she appreciates that the party has not had a contested convention in Cork South Central for some time, but she insisted that the directive was in line with the rules set by members at its ard fheis and that the selection convention was being held in accordance with those rules.
Following the vote, it was confirmed that Mr O’Callaghan has also been selected to run for the party in the next general election.
He topped the poll in the city’s South Central local electoral area in the recent local election.
A practicing barrister, who lives in the Grange area, he said he will be an effective legislator and parliamentarian who will champion quality-of-life issues and law and order issues.
Mr O’Callaghan, and his running mate Ms McCarthy, will now stand in what is set to be a keenly contested constituency following Mr Coveney’s announcement two weeks ago that, after 26 years as a Fine Gael public representative for the constituency, he will not be seeking re-election.
The current four-seat constituency, which is also represented by Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin; former finance minister Michael McGrath, who has been nominated as Ireland’s next European Commissioner; and Sinn Fein spokesperson on social affairs Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire; is also increasing to a five-seater.
Fine Gael has now chosen 23 general election candidates in 15 constituencies.
The party’s selection conventions for Cork South West and Cork North West take place next week.