Dolan selected as running mate for Kitt

FIANNA Fáil in the Galway East constituency, which stretches from Kinvara to Gort into South-East Galway and up to Tuam, has selected its second candidate to contest the upcoming General Election.

The party, it seems, has taken into account a mood for change and more particularly for candidates who have a background in business, in selecting accountant Michael F Dolan as a running mate for sitting TD Micheál Kitt.
Fianna Fáil were forced to choose a new candidate after Noel Treacy TD, who had allowed his name go forward to the selection convention, which took place in Loughrea on Sunday, withdrew from the race last week on medical grounds.
Mr Dolan lives in Monivea and runs an accountancy firm in Loughrea. Speaking after he was selected on the Fianna Fáil ticket in Galway East, the new candidate said, “While I am a new face in politics, I am an experienced businessman and community activist who understands the mistakes that have been made in the past and the action that’s needed to move this country forward.”
“There are three key issues I believe should remain at the heart of politics: accountability, responsibility and common sense. I have lived by these values as a businessman and I intend to bring them with me into the 31st Dáil with the help of the people here in Galway East,” he continued.
“I am honoured to have been given the chance to represent the people of this great constituency. I understand the challenges facing the community and businesses here in County Galway and across the country.
“I have spent my career working with a diverse range of clients involved in small business and the agriculture sector and I appreciate the severe difficulties caused by the current economic crisis.
“Having taken over at the helm of the party, Micheál Martin is promising a programme of radical reform, recognising that politics in this country must change because society has changed. I can bring energy, focus and new ideas to this process.
“I am deeply aware of the needs of this constituency and I want the chance to bring these needs to the national stage,” said Mr Dolan.
In his final address at the Fianna Fáil Galway East selection convention in the Temperence Hall in Loughrea on Sunday, Deputy Noel Treacy spoke about his three decades as a public representative and his unexpected departure from public life.
“I am a reluctant departee, as I never intended to retire from politics at this time. The past three years have been extremely difficult for my family and the past year has been personally difficult for me.
“Last Monday I was faced with the reality of sustaining my health, at this time. There was only one answer and that was to honourably withdraw from this convention,” he told the party faithful.
Deputy Treacy assured newly elected party leader Micheál Martin that the “people of Galway East will not be found wanting in taking the battle to the roads, the streets, the avenues, estates and villages, in this forthcoming election campaign. We will leave no stone unturned, to hold on to the two seats, which we have had in this constituency, since the foundation of our party.”
Deputy Treacy urged all those at the convention to “be constantly available to both of our candidates for canvassing and support, throughout this challenging campaign”.
Meanwhile, his fellow Galway East TD Michael Kitt paid tribute to Deputy Treacy, saying he represented the constituency “with unwavering commitment and has delivered consistently to the constituency during his time as a Minister of State, a TD and a councillor”.

Fine Gael and Labour announce candidates
FINE Gael, the party widely expected to lead the next Government, has finalised its ticket in the Galway East constituency for the General Election on February 25.
It is running four new candidates in the area after sitting TDs Ulick Burke and Paul Connaughton both announced late last year that they were retiring from politics and would not contest the next election.
Paul Connaughton Junior, Councillor Jimmy McClearn, Councillor Tom McHugh and Senator Ciaran Cannon are all running in the four-seat Galway East constituency for Fine Gael.
Labour is running two candidates in East Galway, Councillor Colm Keaveney from Tuam and Lorraine Higgins, a barrister and candidate in the local elections in 2009.
Sinn Féin last week selected Ballinasloe-based county councillor Dermot Connolly to represent the party.
Independent councillor and general election candidate Sean Canney has been particularly vocal since he announced he would run in the upcoming election. In the past week, he claimed Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny “has been kept in captivity” by the party and that it was time for him to come out and fight the General Election.
Separately he described the lump sums and pension payments to politicians as “a gross obscenity” and called on all political parties to “immediately publish their proposals to eliminate the scandal of the payment of obscene amounts of money to retiring politicians”.