*Photograph: Joe Buckley
FIANNA FÁIL is to run three candidates in Clare for the General Election.
The Clare Echo has learned that the directive coming from party headquarters for Monday’s selection convention will be to run all three nominated candidates in the county.
Sitting TD Cathal Crowe (FF), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) will form the Fianna Fáil ticket in Clare for the General Election.
Party members are due to convene at Hotel Woodstock on Monday evening for the selection convention. The Fianna Fáil National Constituencies’ Committee has made the decision to run three candidates in Clare.
Speaking on Wednesday evening, Deputy Crowe said the party was already working on its draft manifesto when addressing a public meeting in Crusheen. This is a clear indicator that the General Election is edging closer despite all party leaders expressing a desire to go full term.
At the recent AGM of the Fianna Fáil Comhairle Dáilcheantair, party members were vocal that two candidates need to be selected for the General Election so that they could elect two TDs in the county.
Crowe, Dooley and McInerney formed the party’s ticket for the 2020 General Election, they polled 8,355, 7,763 and 4,136 first preference votes respectively. Meelick native Crowe was elected to the Dáil on the first attempt, Dooley lost his seat as a TD for the first time having been elected in May 2007 and McInerney contested a General Election for the first time and in June topped the poll in a very competitive Kilrush local electoral area.
