Leonora Carey has been selected by Fine Gael to represent the party in the Clare constituency at the next General Election.
Party members ratified Ms Carey at the Clare Fine Fael Dáil Selection Convention, which was held in the West County Hotel in Ennis on Friday night.
Senator Martin Conway and Ms Carey were the two candidates put forward for the Clare Fine Gael Dáil ticket at the close of nominations last month after former Deputy Joe Carey resigned his seat and from political life due on health grounds.
However, Senator Conway decided to withdraw his name before the convention.
Unless another candidate is added, Clare Fine Gael has given up on the prospect of winning two Dáil seats in the county in the next General Election.
In the 2016 General Election, Fine Gael ran three candidates – Pat Breen, Joe Carey and Mary Howard, with Breen and Carey winning two seats in the four-seater when the party’s had a first preference share of 25.8%.
In the most recent national Opinion Poll, Fine Gael was the most popular party winning a 25% first preference share of the vote ahead of Fianna Fáil on 21%.
The Convention was chaired by Minister Hildegarde Naughton and Fine Gael has now chosen 42 General Election candidates in 28 constituencies.
Leonora Carey said she is delighted to have been selected by the Fine Gael membership in Clare to contest the next General Election and is looking forward to working closely with them to retain the seat held by her brother, Joe and increase the party’s share of the vote in the constituency.
“I regard it as a great privilege to be given the opportunity to put myself before the people of Clare as an advocate of their interests at local, regional and national levels.
“As a member of a family that has had the honour of representing the Clare constituency in Dáil Éireann for more than 40 years, I am acutely aware of how the lives of ordinary people are influenced by Government policy in the areas of housing, education, regional development, employment, agriculture, family supports, climate change, transport and infrastructure.
“As a carer and healthcare professional, I have an upfront view of the issues and challenges facing the delivery of an efficient and effective public health service in the county and the wider region.
“As a former Chair of the Fine Gael national executive council, I am convinced that the issues facing people in Clare and the Mid-West require a new and more targeted approach to how politicians can make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people.
“I am now seeking the support of the people of Clare to help me make that difference,” she said.
Dan Danaher
East Clare correspondent, Dan Danaher is a journalism graduate of Rathmines and UL. He has won numerous awards for special investigations on health, justice, environment, and reports on news, agriculture, disability, mental health and community.