O’Malley urged to contest seat in Limerick

ACTING PD leader Mary Harney is pressing Senator Fiona O’Malley to contest the next general election in her native Limerick.

Ms O’Malley lost her seat in Dun Laoighre and was nominated to the Seanad by the Taoiseach.

Her father Des O’Malley served in Limerick East for many years and Fiona was brought up and educated in Limerick before going to college in Dublin.

Health Minister Harney said she would like to see Ms O’Malley move back to Limerick.

She said: “I have advised her accordingly but obviously it’s a matter for her and a matter for the organisation in Limerick. Tim (O’Malley) is not going to run again, he’s made that clear. I think the O’Malley family are well regarded in Limerick and Des had a tremendous track record for the region. I have been personally encouraging Fiona to move to Limerick where she went to school and where she still spends a lot of time.”

The PDs meet this weekend to discuss changingparty rules to allow senators and councillors contest the party leadership.

Ms O’Malley is now the front runner to take over the leadership from Ms Harney who agreed to step in for a short period after Michael McDowell announced he was quitting politics after losing his Dáil seat.

A move by Ms O’Malley to Limerick is being wellreceived by the party in the constituency.

A well-placed source said: “Fiona has proven herself a hard working member of the Dáil and as a senator we feel she would be in a very strong position to win back a seat in Limerick East for the party with the profile of party leader and a senator.”