DONEGAL Fine Gael is set to contest the local Council elections without female candidates in five of Donegal’s six municipal districts.
Up to a dozen candidates will put their names before the electorate next May as Fine Gael looks to grow its representation on Donegal County Council.
At present, the party has put forward Falcarragh’s Michael Mc Clafferty, who ran as an independent in 2014, and Eamon Byrne from Ardara as their two candidates in the Glenties MD.
Cllr Mickey Doherty, co-opted in place of Cllr John Ryan last July, is on the party ticket in south Inishowen and it is expected that he will be joined by Michelle McKenna in the coming days.
In Letterkenny, Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh has confirmed that he will seek another term but it remains unclear who else will be on the ticket. That convention will take place on January 17 with former councillor Noel McBride expected to get the nod in Milford a week later although Aaron Sweeney, a member of young Fine Gael, has also been nominated.
Mr John McNulty, Fine Gael development officer in Donegal, admitted that Fine Gael is struggling to meet the gender quota.
“It’s not through the lack of trying. We’ll have Michelle McKenna in Inishowen but it’s difficult to get women. It doesn’t seem to appeal to a lot of them,” Mr McNulty said.
Elsewhere, another former Councillor John Boyle (Bruckless) has indicated a willingness to stand in the Donegal Municipal District while Twin Towns businessman, Cllr Martin Harley, will run in the Stranorlar MD.
“We’ll have our full team in place early next month,” Mr McNulty said.
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