Fine Gael expect FF casualties in Cork election battleground

A POLITICAL row blazed between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil yesterday over claims that the country’s biggest party will lose several seats in Cork in next year’s general election.

Phil Hogan, FG’s director of organisation, said he expects his party to win at least eight of the 19 seats in the city and county; and FF to lose at least four seats, restoring FG’s Dáil representation to 1997 levels.

A spokeswoman for Fianna Fáil said the party didn’t accept that it was going to lose that number of seats. “We are challenging Fine Gael to publish the full details of their polls,” she said.

Fianna Fáil may have reason to worry. The retirement of Joe Walsh means they will be under pressure to retain two seats in Cork South West. FF’s Denis O’Donovan is yet to find a running mate and Cllr Paddy Sheehan is determined to win back his FG Dáil seat, which he lost at the last general election.

Cork North Central has been reduced by a seat and even FF sources say there is no chance of pulling in three candidates.

Cork East is becoming increasingly marginal, and Fine Gael could repeat its 1981 performance by winning two out of four seats, with Labour winning a seat as well — a most desirable outcome for the Rainbow. “If the Fianna Fáil vote drops by 5% in Cork East, as has been indicated in recent polls, the second Fianna Fáil seat will become vulnerable to Fine Gael,” Mr Hogan said.

The Cork North West constituency would traditionally have two Fine Gael seats. By running just two candidates, and by using a tight management of the vote, FG would have a better chance of winning the two seats than Fianna Fáil.

Batt O’Keeffe, has been forced to move into Cork North West after his power-base of Ballincollig was shifted out of the South Central constituency. Two other FF candidates, Michael and Donal Moynihan, are also in the race, but splitting the vote could do considerable damage.

Without O’Keeffe, Micheál Martin will probably top the poll, but John Dennehy and Michael McGrath could struggle. FG tip Deirdre Clune and Simon Coveney victories and a one seat loss for FF.