By-elections a dry-run for 2007 election

THE crucial double by-election next spring, prompted by John Bruton and Charlie McCreevy taking up EU jobs, will be used by the political parties to position candidates for the 2007 general election.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are both hoping to retain their seats with some high- profile candidates but are also going to use the opportunity to strategically place election contenders in the expanding Meath and Kildare North constituencies.

Coincidentally, the commuter belt constituencies are the only two areas in the country getting extra TDs in 2007, when Kildare North will become a four seater and Meath East and Meath West will split into two three-seaters.

None of the Bruton family is thought to be interested in contesting the by-election.

Frontrunner for the Fine Gael nod is believed to be Shane McEntee, but former FG TD, Cllr John Farrelly, and Cllr Charles Bobbett may also seek the party nomination.

Based in the town of Nobber, where he runs a pub and restaurant, Shane McEntee comes from what a party source described as a “respected and well-known Fine Gael family”.

The north-east of Meath is set to be the key battle ground in the bye-election as Fianna Fáil is thought to be seeking a candidate there to blood a contender for Meath East in 2007.

FF has two TDs already in what will become Meath West, Minister for Education Noel Dempsey, and Deputy Johnny Brady, with Deputy Mary Wallace on her own in the future Meath East.

Sinn Féin’s Cllr Joe Reilly will also be a contender but Labour European election candidate Peter Cassells is highly unlikely to run.

Labour regard the former trade union chief as their obvious choice, but sources close to Peter Cassells say his focus is still on EU affairs.

Fianna Fáil are waiting to hear if Charlie McCreevy Jnr, the 24-year-old son of the Finance Minister wants to run for his father’s seat.

FF Cllr Paul Kelly, who was 135 votes short of a seat in 2002, is also being favourably mentioned, but no one is expected to declare until after Mr McCreevy’s departure.

As EU ambassador to Washington, Mr Bruton’s salary as ambassador will be 163,000 a year against the 217,000 Mr McCreevy will receive.

But Mr Bruton will also get a generous moving allowance and a large house in the upmarket Kalorama embassy belt of Washington with a garden and swimming pool. He will have a car and driver and get allowances for his school-going children together with generous expenses.