Labour is struggling to find candidates to run in Galway City East for the 2014 Local Elections, although its ticket for the city’s other two wards have largely taken shape.
There is speculation that long serving Labour councillor Tom Costello may retire from politics at the end of the current council term. Until he finally declares his definite intentions, Galway Labour has had to develop contingency plans for its candidate strategy.
Cllr Costello’s ward colleague Cllr Nuala Nolan will be running in 2014 but the party is likely to run two or three person ticket in the populous, highly competitive, six seat ward. As a result, Labour has approached various individuals, but met with refusals owing to the party’s dramatic fall in opinion polls over the last two years.
While Galway City East may as yet be unsettled, Galway City West will see the party run one candidate, sitting councillor Niall McNelis.
Cllr McNelis has proven a hard-working, articulate, and energetic councillor who has built his profile in the ward over the last five years. Given he is likely to attract votes from well outside the Labour grassroots and from non-left voters, and that GCW is going from five seats to six, Cllr McNelis is in with a fighting chance of retaining his place in City Hall.
Galway City Central is home to councillors Colette Connolly and Billy Cameron, two of City Hall’s most prominent elected members, both of whom are also likely to retain their seats in 2014. Despite the poor poll showings for Labour, both councillors have a track record of hard work and command a personal vote that goes beyond party loyalties.
Given that the ward is being increased from four seats to six, is highly competitive, and a concern to counter any rise in the Sinn Féin or ultra-left vote, the party is likely to run a third candidate. Party sources are remaining tight-lipped on the name yet, although it is known that the prospective candidate is most likely to be from Shantalla.
