Sinn Féin’s attempts to get city councillor Billy Cameron to leave Labour and run instead as an SF candidate in Galway City Central have come to nothing.
Cllr Cameron was first elected to City Hall in 2004 and has established himself as one of the best known and most popular councillors in the city. He commands a solid Labour grassroots vote as well as a strong personal vote and is likely to retain his seat in the 2014 Local Elections.
Sinn Féin has struggled to find a candidate for Galway City Central, a ward which is increasing from four seats to six next year, and in which SF could realistically challenge for a seat. It previously came close in 2004.
Given Cllr Cameron’s strong left-wing stance and vote getting abilities, SF considered him worth approaching. The party’s Galway senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh met with Cllr Cameron and told him that if he switched to SF he would be the party’s sole candidate in the ward, that fundraising for the campaign would take place, and that he would be the party councillor for the next five years.
However Cllr Cameron declined the offer stating his loyalty to Labour, and that he could not walk out on the friendships he has built up within Labour over the years, as reasons.
Galway Labour will no doubt be glad that one of its most prominent councillors has chosen to stay put, given he is in a strong position to retain his seat. Sinn Féin though is still searching for a GCC candidate to complement the ticket of Mairéad Farrell (Galway City East ) and Cathal Ó Conchúir (Galway City West ), although it is understood a name is set to emerge in the coming days.
