Fianna Fáil Cllr John Connolly has come out fighting against rumours he would not be running in June’s Local Elections by declaring he is “absolutely” and “definitely going” to seek re-election.
Over the weekend there was a flurry of speculation that Cllr Connolly was set to withdraw from local politics or that he would not run if Ollie Crowe and/or Martin Quinn were added to the ticket in Galway City West.
The speculation arose from a story which appeared in a local paper claiming a poll carried out by Fianna Fáil showed Cllr Connolly to have performed poorly and that Mr Crowe was outstripping Mr Quinn in terms of voter preference.
However FF sources have told the Galway Advertiser that when the story ran, Fianna Fáil HQ was still tallying and analysing the results of the poll and that what was reported in the newspaper was “flawed and inaccurate”.
As a result Cllr Connolly has come out fighting, saying he is enthusiastic to run and has no problem with either Mr Crowe or Mr Quinn being on the ticket with him.
“I am definitely going to stand for election in June, absolutely,” he told the Galway Advertiser. “I have a young family and, given the commitments you have to make as a councillor, it’s only fair I took some time to think about this and ask if I have that commitment. The answer is, ‘Yes I do’ and that I have the ability to make a difference in City Hall and for Galway city.”
He also had sharp words for those behind the erroneous poll story.
“Whoever was the source behind the story should think about the commitment that people like Martin Quinn and myself give to Fianna Fáil,” he said, “and some person leaking information is not going to stop me running for election.”
