Fianna Fail party headquarters is to be asked to overturn an apparent eleventh-hour decision to change the number of candidates run by the party in Ennis in next year’s local elections.
184 delegates are due to meet tonight to fill the Fianna Fail ticket in the Ennis Municipal District, with a total of nine candidates declaring interest.
Up until late last week, it was thought that four would be selected but party HQ is now directing that three names be chosen locally, a move which has caused rancour amongst some members.
A senior party source has told Clare FM that local party officials will ask for this decision to be reversed ahead of tonight’s meeting, but that tonight’s convention will go ahead.
Current Ennis Councillors Pat Daly, and Tom McNamara from Kilmaley are joined by former Green Party Councillor Brian Meaney in seeking a nomination, after the Darragh man dramatically resigned from the Greens in April to join Fianna Fail.
Also looking for one of four nominations tonight are former Clarecastle Councillor Bernard Hanrahan who lost his seat in 2009, former Mayor of Ennis Joe Reidy who chose not to contest the Ennis Town Council elections last time round, and Joe Corbett from Spancilhill who unsuccessfully sought a Sinn Fein nomination in the last General Elections.
Completing the line-up for tonight’s convention in the Auburn Lodge are Quin Barrister Claire Colleran, Eoin Neylon who’s part of Fianna Fail’s National Executive and Alan Considine, a nephew of town Councillor Peter who lost his County Council seat in 2009.
