Five Labour members are seeking co-option onto councillor Derek Nolan’s Galway City Council seat following his successful election to Dáil Éireann last week.
Dep Nolan’s seat in the Galway City East ward is now vacant and needs to be filled. This is done by co-option, whereby the party of the candidate who has vacated the seat chooses who will succeed him/her.
Labour will be looking for someone who can meet the challenges of council work, both in City Hall and as a representative for his/her constituents. The party will also want to ensure that the person it chooses can also hold the seat won by Dep Nolan in June 2009 at the next local elections in 2014.
The five candidates are Nuala Nolan, who stood in the 2009 local elections; Pat Hardiman, a trades council member; PJ Mullen, a teacher; Alan Sheerins, the present Labour secretary of the constituency committee; and Anne Costello.
Of the five, Ms Costello is reckoned to be in the strongest position as she has a background in representation and council work, having been a member of the council’s housing and Traveller accommodation committees.
