Candidates in the line of fire

Interest in the General Election in the county continues to build as the days remaining to the February 25 polling day slip into single figures. While the indications point to two Fine Gael seats and one Fianna Fáil seat, the elusive fourth seat in Clare is still very much in the melting pot.

Ever since Fine Gael made the breakthrough in winning a second seat at the expense of Fianna Fáil in the November 1982 election with Madeleine Taylor Quinn and Donal Carey’s triumph, the fourth seat has been all to play for. In November 1992, Dr Moosajee Bhamjee scored a famous win for Labour at the expense of Fine Gael. He didn’t run in 1997 and Fianna Fáil reclaimed a third seat but in 2002, Independent James Breen blazed to victory, with Fianna Fáil losing out.
Finally, in the 2007 election, Fine Gael bounced back to take two seats with James Breen suffering defeat.
This time round, Fianna Fáil, on the back foot, could find themselves in the previously unthinkable position of having just one seat in a constituency perceived to be the party’s spiritual homeland because of its deep-rooted links with founder, Eamon de Valera. This means there will be a huge struggle between sitting TD, Timmy Dooley and Dr John Hillery in the closing stages of the campaign to be first across the line for Fianna Fáil.
Former independent TD, Councillor James Breen is fighting hard to stage a comeback to the national stage while Labour Party candidate, Michael McNamara, who polled well in the European Parliament elections a couple of years ago, is also well in the hunt for a seat.
There is, of course, a chance that Fine Gael could deliver a landmark result in Clare should Councillor Tony Mulcahy improve on his last general election performance to pinch a seat along with outgoing TDs, Pat Breen and Joe Carey, both considered to be safe.
This week The Clare Champion brought the candidates face-to-face with an invited audience representative of all walks of life in the county.
Reflecting the interests of business groups, trade unions, voluntary groups and sporting organisations, the audience at the Old Ground Hotel listened intently as the election candidates made their pitch for support and countered the proposals and policies of their opponents. It was an intriguing debate during which the candidates spelled out why they are best equipped to represent Clare in the 31st Dáil.
Afterwards, there was consensus among many in the audience that with the exception of James Breen, the independents will make very little impression on the election race in Clare. Councillor Breen did not attend the debate, opting to keep to his pattern of Monday night meetings with supporters at Woodstock Hotel, Ennis. He also decided against attending other General Election debates in recent days.
Some of the independents did deliver creditable performances on Monday night but it was the main contenders for the four Clare seats who fared best. There was quite an obvious divide between being named as a candidate on the ballot paper and being among the real contenders.
Labour’s Michael McNamara was very impressive with well thought out answers and excellent delivery across a range of issues. In fact, many in the audience identified him as the best performer of the evening.
Councillor Tony Mulcahy of Fine Gael also took full advantage to be seen as a candidate who might well be in the shake-up for a seat.
As a Fianna Fáil TD, on a hiding to nothing, Timmy Dooley had the odds stacked against him but nevertheless put up a stout defence of decisions taken and countered well.  His running mate, Dr John Hillery, as a first time candidate was, to some extent, able to distance himself from the party’s failings and spoke about restoring a balance in investment to the West.
TDs Pat Breen and Joe Carey acquitted themselves well in presenting alternatives to the outgoing Government’s way of doing business, both emphasising that in government, Fine Gael would not cut front line service jobs in any rationalisation of the public sector.
Councillor Brian Meaney read directly from Green Party policy documents in some responses to questions. He was very pessimistic about the health system, saying the problems of over 30 years ago had not been resolved and he believed that things would stay as they are unless there is a radical shake-up in the HSE.
On a few occasions some of the candidates got quite animated when dealing with questions relating to the economy, pay cuts, unemployment, emigration and health.
The questions were based on the most common issues that emerged when The Clare Champion conducted a series of vox pops in the five electoral areas of Ennis, Ennistymon, Killaloe, Kilrush and Shannon, which have been published in recent issues.
Given the number of candidates in the field in Clare, the debate was divided into two panels. Up first were sitting TDs Pat Breen and Timmy Dooley and they were joined by Michael McNamara (Labour) and independents Patrick Brassil, Jim Connolly, Ann Cronin and Brian Markham. Chairing the debate was ’Champion journalist, Peter O’Connell.
The line-up for the second debate, chaired by staff journalist, Dan Danaher, included Deputy Joe Carey, Councillor Tony Mulcahy, both Fine Gael; Dr John Hillery (FF), Councillor Brian Meaney (Greens), in addition to independents, Sarah Ferrigan, Madeline McAleer and Gerry Walshe. Absentees were independents, James Been and JJ McCabe.
The formal part of the debate was followed by a series of questions posed by members of the audience in relation to education, the minimum wage and pay rates in the hotel sector, the credit union system and the impact of carbon tax on farming.