by Louise Doyle
Letterkenny councillor Jimmy Kavanagh has said that if he were elected to Seanad Éireann it would be an opportunity for Fine Gael to have a voice in Dublin, following the party’s bruising defeat locally in the General Election.
Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh received a nomination from Taoiseach Simon Harris on Wednesday last. He has been nominated to seek a seat on the Labour Panel.
He is one of five Donegal candidates vying for a seat. On the agriculture panel, Senator Niall Blaney of Fianna Fáil is contesting, as is John McNulty of Fine Gael who recently was a candidate in the General Elections.Cllr Micheal Naughton of Fianna Fáil is also putting his name in the ring on the Industrial and Commercial panel. Independent Senator Eileen Flynn is looking to retain her position and is contesting under the administrative panel.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Cllr Kavanagh said he was delighted to have been nominated by Taoiseach Harris, adding that canvassing now starts in earnest.
“It’s great to have been asked by the Taoiseach. In terms of canvassing, I am about a month behind everyone else. The ballot papers go out on January 15. Counting doesn’t close until January 30, but you have to stop canvassing before then, so it really leaves me just over a week.”
Cllr Kavanagh was first elected to Donegal County Council in May 2014, having served on the Letterkenny Town Council from 2009-2014.
He said being elected to the Seanad will give Donegal a platform in Dublin, and will also help build up Fine Gael.
“From the party’s point of view, we lost our seat in the Dáil so we have no representation from Donegal in Dublin for the first time in the history of the State. For a long time we had two TDs, we always had one, and now we have none. It means we have no one in the Oireachtas.
“If I were elected, it would mean that we would have that link to Dublin. If we don’t have someone in Dublin and we’re down to three councillors in Donegal, it is going to be very, very difficult to build up the organisation to get into position to win more council seats in the next local election, and win back the Dáil seat in the next general election.”
The Letterkenny native, who has a degree in health administration and a certificate in public relations, said he would use his position as a senator to further many important local issues he currently raises at council level.
“I’d be hoping to highlight the infrastructure in Donegal, such as the traffic problems and the need for improved roads and improved transport. Our public transport is so poor.
“There are many issues around our health services, and I would also like to be an advocate on disability issues, which I have been on the county council. I can’t go on without mentioning the defective concrete blocks. It’s a huge issue in the county and anything I could do at national level to support those people to find improvement to the scheme where needed is a must.”
If Cllr Kavanagh is elected to the Seanad, this would see his council seat become vacant.
“My party would then get the option to co-opt someone. That would be another advantage of getting the Seanad seat, as the party would get another councillor in Donegal. Who that would be would have to be decided by the local branch of the party.”
A general election for the Seanad must take place no later than 90 days after the dissolution of the Dáil. As the 33rd Dáil was dissolved on November 8, 2024, therefore, the Seanad election must take place no later than February 6, 2025.
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