Local FG deserves reward for a fine victory

Having delivered three TDs in Cavan Monaghan, the constituency organisation of Fine Gael has received the well deserved plaudits of the party at national level. It was a signal achievement in electoral strategy that paid huge dividends and local party activists will now be keeping an eye on events in Dublin, where senior negotiators from Fine Gael are hammering out a programme for government with Labour. While Joe O'Reilly, Sean Conlan and Heather Humphreys are new deputies, the extent of their electoral achievement creates its own impetus for special recognition. There are many more experienced FG deputies who would see themselves as being ahead in the pecking order but strategic interests may also now play a part in the final share-out of government portfolios. Cavan TD, Joe O'Reilly, has considerable Oireachtas experience having been the party's spokesman on communications, energy and natural resources in the upper house. Accepting that Enda Kenny, when he becomes taoiseach on March 9, will have a reduced number of cabinet positions to hand out because of the pact with Labour, it is still hoped that a junior ministry maybe directed either to Mr O'Reilly or one of the other two deputies. Cavan Monaghan's tradition of having someone in government may be a persuasive factor in determining the final allocation of minister of state posts. Also Fine Gael know that the job of retaining their three seats in this constituency starts now and every effort will be made to consolidate the dramatic gains made in last Friday's mould breaking general election. In a huge tidal wave of support Fine Gael were the big winners, ending up with a seat complement in the mid-70s bracket. As the principal party in a new coalition government, Fine Gael will dictate the economic direction of the country. On the other hand, Labour, who also achieved massive electoral gains, particularly in Dublin, will be seeking to put a left of centre stamp on the new administration. Along with Fine Gael and Labour, Sinn Féin were also big winners, more than trebling their Dáil representation and including the election of party leader, Gerry Adams, in Louth. Here in Cavan Monaghan Kathryn Reilly challenged strongly for a seat, and although narrowly unsuccessful on this occasion, looks a strong candidate in the immediate future. Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin topped the poll and continues as SF's sole standard bearer in Cavan Monaghan. This was a difficult general election for Fianna Fáil, who are shell shocked by the retribution meted out to them by an angry electorate. For so long the dominant force in Irish political life, Fianna Fáil have seen their Dáil representation cut from 78 seats to 20 or slightly more. Many of those who lost their seats were former ministers and Fianna Fáil leader, Micheal Martin, faces a mighty challenge in rebuilding the organisation. While those Fianna Fáil figures who went down on Friday represent a virtual who's who of Irish political life, Brendan Smith bucked the trend in again securing a strong first preference of 9,702 votes, which elected him to the second seat behind Deputy Ó Caoláin. It was a remarkable personal performance by Deputy Smith, endorsing his solid work as a constituency representative. His party colleague outgoing TD, Margaret Conlon, wasn't so successful. With her first preference vote well down on her 2007 election, she was eventually excluded from the contest in the seventh count. Labour's Liam Hogan is entitled to feel satisfied with his electoral performance. He secured 4,011 first preference votes, achieving the largest vote for Labour since Ann Gallagher came near to winning a seat in the early 90s. Another defeated candidate being widely praised for his performance is Fine Gael's fourth in Cavan Monaghan, Cllr Peter McVitty. He had a first preference vote of 3,858 and finished up with some 4,000 when transfers were taken into account. He polled particularly well in his native Belturbet electoral area and has proven a productive vote-winner for the party. Nationally there is a strong grouping of new independent TDs from across the political spectrum who are expected to enliven the proceedings of Dáil Éireann. However, the independent who ran in Cavan Monaghan didn't realise the same level of success. Seamus Treanor, Caroline Forde and John McGuirk performed best, securing more than 1,900 votes each, and their transfers played a significant role in the out-working of the vote in Cavan Monaghan. Kathryn Reilly, Sean Conlan and Heather Humphries gained most from Seamus Treanor's transfers. Reilly, Smith, McVitty and Hogan benefited most from Forde's transfers. McGuirk's transfers were more evenly spread. The big story of the election here is without doubt the ability of Fine Gael to secure three seats. They had one seat in the outgoing Dáil, that of Seymour Crawford, who has just retired from public life. Many considered the four-candidate strategy risky but Fine Gael had obviously done their homework well. Through astute voter analysis they knew that there was real potential there for three seats and the selection of four effective candidates coupled with adept voter management paved the way for an historic victory.