After the next local elections, the Galway City Council must go “back to the future” in combining the questioning of officials of this council with the smoother running of previous years.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael J Crowe who is adamant that the goal must be for Fianna Fáil to regain control of the Galway City Council.
“Over the last four years the council has become more questioning of officials and that is a good thing,” he told the Galway Advertiser, “but overall this council hasn’t really worked - 15 adults around a table who can’t agree on anything, except argue, bicker, and fight. That’s why I’m saying we need to go ‘back to the future’.”
Cllr Crowe said the “most significant thing” Fianna Fáil must do over the next year is to increase its membership and bring in as many people as possible to help increase its seats in City Hall.
The Bohermore man - who has yet to decide if he will run in Galway City West or Galway City East in next year’s local elections - feels the days of running three/four candidates in a ward is over and that Fianna Fáil needs to concentrate on smaller tickets of two/three candidates. He feels that if FF is to retain its three seats in City Hall and bring in two other candidates, it must run well chosen candidates and more concentrated tickets.
“The vote that Frank Fahey and I received in the city at the General Election shows there is a strong vote in the city so it is there,” he said. “My view is that we should run the correct candidates in the right location but not overexpose ourselves with three or four candidates in a ward who don’t need to be there.”
Speculation arose this week that a relative of Cllr Crowe’s may also run in the local election. Cllr Crowe’s core base was split in two by the recent electoral boundary revision changes. The thinking behind the speculation was that, wherever Cllr Crowe chose to ran - either in Galway City West or Galway City East - a family member could stand in the other constituency and build on the remaining support for the Crowe name.
However the Bohermore man would not be drawn on the speculation.
“I’ve heard the same myself,” he said. “There is a rumour going around about every candidate, this fella’s daughter or that guy’s brother - it’s the business we’re in. Everyone has to take their chances and there will be huge competition for places.”
