Údarás candidates linked to parties

Candidates in tomorrow’s Údarás na Gaeltachta elections will be linked to political parties for the first time, it emerged today.

Up to 75,000 voters go to the polls in seven Gaeltacht constituencies tomorrow morning to fill 17 elected positions on the Údarás board.

Under new procedures, candidates no longer have to lodge deposits but they must be nominated by a political party or supported by 15 registered voters in the constituency.

A High Court decision in 2001 ruled that deposits in Gaeltacht elections were unconstitutional.

Returning officer for the one-seater Meath Gaeltacht, Liam MacSuibhne said it will also be the first time that candidates are allowed to display their photographs and political party logos on the ballot papers.

Previously, candidates may have been members of political parties, but ran campaigns as representatives of their Gaeltacht communities.

Mr MacSuibhne added: “These procedural changes are new this time around. It’s also the first time for Saturday polling and we’re hoping it will encourage a high turnout.”

Mr MacSuibhne will have only four staff sorting and counting votes for the three candidates at the count centre in Rathcairn.

“We should have the result by lunchtime or early afternoon,” he added.

Sitting Údarás board member Micheál Ó Scanáill is running in the Cork Gaeltacht, which includes Muskerry and Cape Clear island.

The total electorate is only 3,000 but turnouts as high as 80% are the norm in the constituency.

Mr Ó Scanáill, who is now running for Fine Gael, said: “Údarás candidates were always elected as independent public representatives to serve the community until this year’s elections when party affiliations came into the equation.”

The Ballyvourney career guidance teacher, who has been a Údarás board member for over 18 years, will need to reach a quota of 800 or 900 votes to get elected.

Údarás na Gaeltachta was established as a regional State agency in 1980 to promote the economic and social development of Gaeltacht areas and to aid the survival of the Irish language.

About 90,000 people live in the seven Gaeltacht areas which cover extensive parts of counties Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork, Meath and Waterford.

Galway has six seats, Donegal has four, Kerry and Mayo have two each and Cork, Waterford and Meath are represented by one.

Gaeltacht Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv nominates the remaining three persons to the 20-member Udaras board.

Sinn Féin is expecting its first-ever Údarás na Gaeltachta seat with candidates running in each of three Gaeltacht areas in Donegal, Galway and Meath.

The last elections to the Udaras board were held in December 1999.