If Michael D Higgins runs in the next General Election he will do so with a running mate as Labour look set to run two candidates in Galway West.
Labour has overcome its long aversion to fielding two in the constituency and it is likely that young city councillor Derek Nolan will be joining the veteran politician on the ticket.
The move comes as something of a U-turn for the party which had long resisted running two in Galway West. Labour felt that ,while Dep Higgins would comfortably retain his seat, party support was not large enough, nor broad enough, to justify running a second candidate.
However things have changed. The party’s success in getting five councillors elected to City Hall in 2009 (as well as former Labour member and now Independent councillor Catherine Connolly retaining her seat ), plus the decent showing for Labour in Oranmore, has shown a trend of voters becoming more favourable to the party (they only had two councillors from 1999 to 2004 ).
Furthermore the recent Irish Times poll showing Labour at 32 per cent, ahead of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and as the most popular party in the State, has given them further encouragement.
Labour in Galway know the party will not get 32 per cent in Galway West or across the country (not even the legendary Spring Tide of 1992 was that high ), but it gives reasons to be more optimistic and take a chance by capitalising on the rise in voter belief that Labour can deliver a genuine alternative to the two main parties.
Cllr Nolan has been identified as the person to run alongside Dep Higgins and, even if he does not take a seat in 2012, a solid performance will stand him in good stead next time out. Importantly for Labour, it will give the party reason to hope it can hold the seat Dep Higgins has occupied since 1987.
As part of it’s drive to win, Labour is undertake a sresearch project in the Connacht-Ulster region to identify the major social and economic issues that are impacting at local level.
A report on the findings will be launched by Eamon Gilmore as part of a major conference of the West to take place later this year.
