FINE Gael has selected councillors John Paul O’Shea and Michael Creed to represent the party in the Cork North West constituency at the next general election.
The two sitting councillors were selected at the party’s selection convention in Mallow on Monday night, which was chaired by Minister Patrick O’Donovan.
The party’s current TD for the area, Michael, announced last year that he is stepping away from politics and will not be standing for election.
Cllr Creed, who is a cousin to his namesake Deputy Creed, was recently elected to the Macroom Municipal District in the local elections. He said it is a great honour to have been selected to contest the general election for the party in Cork North West.
‘I have a proven track record of working hard for the community to make this area a great place to live and work since I was first co-opted to the Council in 2007,’ said Cllr Creed.
‘I believe that from my experience as a councillor I can be a strong voice for the people of Cork North West and will work hard to ensure that our community thrives.’
Cllr John Paul O’Shea said that with retirement of Deputy Michael Creed, he will do everything to ensure that the people of Cork North West will continue to have strong representation in Dáil Eireann by a Fine Gael TD after the next general election.
Meanwhile, the Fine Gael convention for Cork South West was due to take place on Wednesday night in Dunmanway with two candidates, Sen Tim Lombard and Cllr Noel O’Donovan having put their names forward.
Elsewhere, Fianna Fáil Councillor Gillian Coughlan has confirmed that she is putting her name forward to stand for the party in the Cork South West constituency in the next general election. No date has yet to be decided for the party convention.
‘I’ve long held an ambition to run for Fianna Fáil in Dáil Eireann and I have a long record of service with the party having begun 20 years ago with Bandon Town Council. I served as the town mayor and years later as county mayor,’ she told The Southern Star.
Sitting TD Christopher O’Sullivan will also be putting his name forward at the convention and it is understood that former TD Margaret Murphy O’Mahony will also put her name forward to be selected as a candidate for Fianna Fáil.
In Cork city, Ballyvourney native and first-time Labour Councillor Laura Harmon has been selected by her party to stand in the Cork South Central in the next general election.
