Fianna Fáil goes on election ‘war footing’ in Galway City
Fianna Fáil in Galway City is on election footing, as the party targets two seats in Galway West in the next General Election, which could be called within a year.
The party has formed a new Comhairle Ceantair, one single District Executive, which replaces the three city Comhairle Ceantair that existed up to now, Galway City Central, Galway City West and Galway City East.
The change in structure was voted through by members last Thursday at a meeting in the Trapper’s Inn.
Alan Cheevers, who missed out on a City Council seat in the local election earlier this year, was voted in as chairperson of the new Comhairle Ceantair, and Val Hanley, a former mayor, is the vice-chairman. Around 70 or 80 members were in attendance.
Mr Cheevers said his task now was to develop an electoral strategy, along with the officer board of the Comhairle Ceantair, and City Councillors, to ensure the party regains the Dáil seat it lost in the last general election.
The party is expected to finalise its party ‘ticket’, for the general election, by March or April of next year but no date for a selection convention to pick who will run alongside sitting TD, Éamon Ó Cuív, has yet been finalised.
The new Comhairle Ceantair will also work on a policy platform over the coming months.
“Our task now is to rebuild the party in the city, to revitalise the party and to recruit more members as we target two seats in Galway West in the next General Election,” said Mr Cheevers.
Read more in this week’s Connacht Sentinel