End of dynasties threatens Labour seats

WITH the ending of two family dynasties in Kerry, the Labour Party is in a serious situation and could be without a Dáil seat in the county after the next election.

For the first time in over 60 years, the surnames Spring or Moynihan will not be on the ballot papers for Labour in the county.

The decision, for health reasons, of Kerry South TD and party chairperson Breeda Moynihan-Cronin not to contest the next election has left the party with a monumental task to retain the seat first won in 1981 by her late father, Michael Moynihan.

Following the defeat of former Tánaiste and party leader Dick Spring in neighbouring Kerry North in the last election, Labour also have an uphill struggle to win back the seat lost to Sinn Fein's Martin Ferris in that constituency.

Since Mr Spring's late father, Dan, first won a seat in 1943, Kerry always had a Labour TD and, occasionally, two.

Chairman of Labour's constituency executive in Kerry South Andrew McCarthy yesterday acknowledged the party was facing a huge challenge to hold its seat.

"Deputy Moynihan-Cronin's decision came as a total surprise as all the indications were she was gearing up for the next election," he said. "Winning Labour seats in Kerry has never been easy and we'll now be going through a period of consultation to come up with the best strategy. Issues, whether to run one candidate or a combination of candidates, will have to be considered."

There's also a shortage of obvious candidates in the constituency.

"I'd be confident we can deliver the core Labour vote, but the question is to get a candidate who'll get that bit extra to win a seat," Mr McCarthy said.

Early front-runners for a nomination include Cllr Sean O'Grady of Killarney, the only Labour councillor in the constituency, and Owen O'Shea, of Milltown, who's working as a constituency assistant to Deputy Moynihan-Cronin.

In Kerry North, Cllr Terry O'Brien, Tralee, and Cllr Pat Leahy, Listowel, are being mentioned as possible Labour candidates.

Mr Spring, now a director with the Fexco financial services company, yesterday said Labour was a resilient party. He was confident prominent candidates would be put in place to win seats in both constituencies.

Killarney-based Deputy Moynihan-Cronin, first elected in 1992 in succession to her father, said her decision had not been an easy one, but her health did not allow her discharge her duties in the way she would wish.

Meanwhile, observers believe Fine Gael's hopes of regaining a seat it lost in Kerry South in 1989 will be boosted by the absence of Ms Moynihan-Cronin.

There's ongoing speculation that GAA president Sean Kelly, previously an unsuccessful local elections' candidate for FG in Killarney, could be a FG candidate in Kerry South.