The Belmullet area saw the largest influx of new voters into the area following the redrawing of the boundaries last year. An extra 2,249 people were planted into the area from both the east and south of the old constituency. The decision to move Newport east from the Westport electoral area into Belmullet and its population of 1,021 was enough to see sitting Newport based Fianna Fáil councilor Frank Chambers decide not to run again, after seeing his home base split between two different electoral areas. While to the east of the old constituency, Ballycastle, Bunaveela, Kilfian west and Lacken north have been added from the old Ballina area.
Going to the post this time are four sitting councillors Tim Quinn and Mícheál McNamara for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael’s Gerry Coyle and Independent Michael Holmes. Joining them on the ballot paper will be another five candidates, with Fianna Fáil yet to select a third candidate and Fine Gael putting forward former Cllr Pat Kilbane from Achill and Ian McAndrew from Belmullet. Joining Cllr Michael Holmes on the independent side of the ticket will be John Corrigan from Achill and James Padden from Belmullet, while Rose Conway Walsh will be running again for Sinn Féin.
Last time out Fine Gael were the losers in Belmullet when they lost one of their two seats from 1999 to Independent Cllr Michael Holmes, while Fianna Fáil managed to hold on to two seats with Cllr Mícheál McNamara replacing the then sitting Cllr Frank Leneghan in the council. The way things are playing out in opinion polls nationally, it looks like there is a strong possibility that the rolls will be reversed with some informed opinion believing that Tim Quinn, the longest serving member currently on the council, could be the one to lose out on election day. Fine Gael’s Pat Kilbane has thrown his hat back in the ring again this time looking to regain his the seat he lost, while Belmullet based Fine Gael candidate Ian McAndrew could potentially challenge sitting councillor Gerry Coyle for his seat.
Michael Holmes will be hoping that dissatisfaction with the Government in general could see some first preference votes swings his way again this time again, because he knows that Independents can find it hard to gain votes on transfers once candidates start getting eliminated and getting elected.
Sinn Féin will really fancy their chances of picking up one of the four seats in this area. Last time around Rose Conway Walsh was the odd one out losing out at the last count for the last seat. She has put herself forward again and will be in with a very good shout of taking votes from disheartened Fianna Fáil voters to add to the impressive showing of her base last time out where she took 924 first preference votes, a little under 13 per cent of the total poll first time. It could come down to a shootout between Conway-Walsh and Cllr Holmes for the last seat in the area and things could really go down to the wire if Conway-Walsh can improve on her showing last time around.
Candidates
Fianna Fáil: Mícheál McNamara, Tim Quinn
Fine Gael: Gerry Murray, Ian McAndrew, Pat Kilbane
Sinn Féin: Rose Conway-Walsh Independent: Michael Holmes, John Corrigan, James Padden
