FF not to replace departed councillor

FIANNA FÁIL has said it will not select a third local election candidate to run in Carrigaline following the defection of Cllr Deirdre Forde to Fine Gael.

Ms Forde announced her decision at a press conference with Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny at the Dáil this week.

She denied her decision to switch sides was prompted by the party’s decision to run a three-person ticket in the electoral area.

Along with Ms Forde and Cllr Seamus McGrath, the brother of sitting TD Michael McGrath, Fianna Fáil had added Padraig Martin, twin brother of Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin, to the ticket.

Ms Forde’s defection raised the possibility Fianna Fáil would seek a replacement to maintain the three-candidate strategy. However, last night, Fianna Fáil HQ said it would stick with Mr McGrath and Mr Martin.

“In the changed circumstances, we are still very happy with our ticket,” a Fianna Fáil spokesman said.

“We feel we have two very strong candidates in place who will work hard to deliver for the people of Carrigaline and Fianna Fáil.

“Both Padraig and Seamus are rooted in their communities and have a proven track record of achievement for those communities.”

The party said it would continue to review the performance of all its local election candidates in order to ensure “the best possible electoral return for Fianna Fáil”.

Meanwhile, the Fianna Fáil backlash against Ms Forde began with the party’s Comhairle Dáilcheantair [or constituency council] for Cork South Central saying her decision smacked of “political opportunism”.

“Despite having relied on the backing of the local members of the Fianna Fáil organisation in the Carrigaline area to canvass on her behalf, Cllr Forde has made no effort to relay or explain her decision to us,” it said in a statement. “We feel we have offered her great support over the years and are hurt and disappointed that she did not see fit to discuss issues with the party or government policy with us, the local members and organisation. We are also disappointed that she neglected to talk to us and that the first indications we had about these issues were seeing and hearing about them in the media.”