Galway could become the centre for a new political party in Ireland, or at the very least, the location for a new political grouping comprising the Independent members of the Galway city and county councils.
After months of local, and weeks of national, speculation it appears Dep Noel Grealish is coming to the view that it would be better for his political career not to join Fianna Fáil - an understandable mood given the public anger at Budget 09 and the party’s plummeting poll figures.
It is understood that Dep Grealish is now floating the idea of a new Independent party - or at the least an Independent grouping - made up of councillors based in the Galway area.
The proposed party/group could consist of Dep Grealish and councillors Declan McDonnell, Terry O’Flaherty, Donal Lyons, Jim Cuddy, Tom Welby, and maybe Michael ‘Mogie’ Maher - in short, the former members of the now defunct PDs.
Such a grouping would have an attraction for the councillors in that it would be much easier to run a local election campaign as a group than individually.
If they all run as Independents, each must bear alone the massive costs of staging an election campaign. If they run as a party/group, the associated costs become much easier to bear, resources can be pooled, strategies can be worked out, and transfer pacts promoted.
The idea is being floated to see what kind of interest there would be in such an alliance. The lesson of Independents like Michael Lowry - who was able to bring in Independent councillors, who were in turn able to help him retain his seat - is not lost on those behind the idea in Galway.
It is understood that Dep Grealish is keen to see Jim Cuddy and Declan McDonnell retain their seats and resist joining Fianna Fáil. Such a grouping can help with both objectives.
Dep Grealish needs both men active so they can continue to be his ‘eyes and ears’ on the Galway city and county council - which is vital to his General Election prospects.
However Cllr McDonnell is sceptical about talk of an ‘Independent party’ and poured cold water on any suggestion of his own involvement in it.
“Such a group could be a possibility but I’ve not heard anything about it,” he told the Galway Advertiser, “and I myself will be running as an independent Independent in 2009.”
While the idea will have some appeal for the councillors and certain voters, some involved in discussions on the suggested party have voiced concerns. They say that unless Independents like Catherine Connolly, Seosamh Ó Cuaig, Sean Canney, Willy Burke, and Pat Hynes are asked to join, the party will be simply ‘the PDs by another name’.
However it is hard to see the left leaning Cllr Connolly and Cllr Ó Cuaig joining what would essentially be a centre-right gathering.
“There is an opening in the current climate for such a party or grouping as this,” one of those involved in the proposal told the Galway Advertiser, “but all Independents must be asked or else it will not be inclusive, and just be ‘the PDs back again’.”
