Fine Gael pick candidates for local elections

Thomas Lyons

Fine Gael signalled their electoral intentions by announcing the first set of councillors to contest the six positions available in one of the county’s three constituencies next May.
The retirement of two sitting councillors from the race means that the convention for selection to contest the new Cavan-Belturbet constituency was a rather bloodless fight. Peter McVitty, Madeleine Argue and Jacqui Lewis will be out on the hustings in the coming months looking for number ones across the most northern electoral area in the county.

The decision of Maura Maguire Lynch and Andrew Boylan not to go forward meant that only three names were put forward for the three positions on offer at the convention. November 1 was the date for the first convention of any of the parties in the county to select their running panel.
FG candidate Cllr Peter McVitty said that the selection went smoothly: “There was no contest, it was all very civilised. The selection convention chose three names to go forward, with another to be put forward by Fine Gael head office at a later stage. Cavan Town Mayor Jacqui Lewis, Madeleine Argue, a sitting county councillor in the existing Cavan electoral area and myself were selected. I am almost one-hundred per cent certain that the Fine Gael headquarters will be adding another name at some point in the future,” he said.
The party will make their selection for Ballyjamesduff on November 15 and Bailieborough-Cootehill will select their team on the last weekend in November.