Election battle to be a family affair
Dr Hillery, the son of former president Patrick Hillery, gained 6,000 first preferences in the 2011 general election, but was still not expected to put himself forward as a candidate for Fianna Fáil in Clare.
Mr McNamara, who was expelled from Labour’s parliamentary party on Thursday, announced his engagement to Dr Hillery’s daughter, Sarah-Jane Hillery, earlier this year.
Dr Hillery, whose power base is around the Miltown Malbay area of West Clare, now looks set gain a party’s nomination, alongside Timmy Dooley, with a host of candidates scrambling for the third place of the Fianna Fáil ticket.
Dr Hillery was critical of how the Fianna Fáil party managed candidate selection in Clare and claimed that younger members of the party had been intimidated into not running.
The Clare Fianna Fáil selection convention was due to take place in May, but party insiders now claim a convention may not take place until September or October.
“The big problem for me is the lack of clarity, if we had some clarity then we could have a strategy,” said Dr Hillery. “If it [the convention] takes place in October, I would have no problem with that, but if there was a firm date at least we could work with that.
“I’ve heard April, May — in fact I’ve joked myself that they might hold the convention after the election.
“The worry that the party should have is that Fine Gael may hold a snap election — if that happens then Clare Fianna Fáil will be embarrassed. I don’t know where to lay the blame [for the lack of clarity about the Fianna Fáil convention]. There are obviously people who it suits to have that lack of clarity, but I couldn’t say who.”
Dr Hillery’s candidacy represents a challenge for fellow Miltown Malbay native, and chairman of the Clare GAA County Board, Michael “Malty” McDonagh — whose own candidacy for Fianna Fáil now comes under pressure.
“Competition is healthy,” said Dr Hillery. “But one of the disappointments for me is that Clare Ógra has always been strong, and yet we have no one coming through as a candidate. I’ve met young people from Clare who are bright, intelligent, enthusiastic and energetic and yet they are not coming forward for election.
“I have heard that there has been a lack of encouragement in certain parts of the county. I’ve asked about certain people who have impressed me, and I wont name any names, but I’ve heard that they have been actively discouraged in some areas. That is a pity.”
Dr Hillery said his decision to run was prompted in part by the Government’s sale of its stake in Aer Lingus announced last Thursday.
“I feel that Clare, along with parts of the West of Ireland, has not seen the upswing that the eastern side of the country has. The discussion around the sale of Aer Lingus had focused my mind — is this a great thing for Clare? I have my doubts. I am worried that the West is not getting the representation it deserves.”
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