Independent councillor for the city centre, Mike Cubbard, and City East’s Labour Party councillor Helen Ogbu, have confirmed they intend to run in the Galway West Dáil constituency if Taoiseach Simon Harris opts for a November general election.
City councillors John Connolly (FF ) and Clodagh Higgins (FG ) have previously declared their candidatures.
A city councillor for ten years, this will be Cubbard’s second tilt at the Dáil, after he stood unsuccessfully in the February 2020 general election on a non-party ticket, gaining 2,600 first preferences.
First elected in May this year, Councillor Ogbu gained national profile when she became the first person of colour to be elected to Galway’s local authority in its more than 500-year-old history. For 15 years she has worked as a community activist.
Cubbard, three times elected in the city centre, told the Advertiser he has been thinking long and hard about running again since rumours of a November election began to circulate in the summer.
“It’s a big decision. I have spoken to a lot to supporters and my family, and decided this week I still want to do it. I am doing it,” he said. The independent councillor says he has a small team with few resources. He is still calculating how he will pay for another tilt, and needs to balance existing job, family and council commitments.
Councillor Ogbu has yet to be formerly selected by the Labour Party’s constituency organisation in Galway West, yet she has received the full support of her elected party colleagues, city councillors Níall McNelis and John McDonagh. “We’re backing Helen,” they said in a joint communication.
Ogbu may yet face competition from Oranmore-based Family Resource Centre national chief executive Fergal Landy who stood for Labour unsuccessfully in the European Parliament elections in May. Landy did not respond to enquiries.
Councillor John Connolly, a school principal in Athenry, has been selected by Fianna Fáil to run alongside broadcaster Grainne Seoige, while Fine Gael city councillor Clodagh Higgins has opted to stand in the Galway East Dáil constituency with Niamh Madden and county councillor Peter Roche.
Galway City West city councillor Alan Curran was expected to put his name forward to stand for the Social Democrats in Galway West’s five-seat Dáil constituency, but the school teacher said he is putting work commitments first. His council colleague Eibhlín Seoighthe said she is also too busy.
