A political air of disappointment still pervading following the General Election counting of votes, Fine Gael Senator, Gab McFadden, has yet to make a formal decision with regard to her public office future.
Speaking to the Athlone Advertiser this week, following her attendance at the Fine Gael parliamentary party briefing on Monday afternoon, the Athlone based Senator relayed her thoughts pertaining to her Longford/Westmeath constituency poll performance, in which she amassed 1,411 first preference votes.
“Personally speaking, I did not expect to win a seat, but to perform not as hoped is immensely disappointing. Nationally, however, the electorate have spoken and they now want to see political change in Government,” Senator McFadden reiterated.
Unsure as to her future from a political perspective, Gab is adamant that Fine Gael will not go into Government with Sinn Féin.
“The onus now falls upon Sinn Féin to form the next Government following the General Election result but formation of an alliance with Fine Gael is a most definite red line for me,” Gab continued.
Now without political representation at a national level, Gab is undecided if she will seek a nomination for the forthcoming Seanad Éireann elections in mid-March but noted that it was crucial that Athlone, “the centre of the universe” has a presence within the Senate.
“I will ponder my political decision in the next week as my Oireachtas membership is due to reach its conclusion on March 29 and with internal nominations now due, it is a resolution which must be made imminently.
“Athlone is a designated regional growth centre under the National Framework Plan 2040 with a number of urban regeneration projects planned and an Institute of Technology striving for University status. The consequences may be vast, should the town not have national political representation in future times,” Gab stated.
