Fine Gael selects Kells candidates

Fine Gael selected three candidates to contest next year"s Kells Town Council elections at a well-attended convention where its lone sitting councillor, Ollie Sweeney, announced he would be standing down next June. Members chose former councillor Séamus Grimes, student solicitor Sarah Reilly and Stephen Foley, the parliamentary assistant to Deputy Damien English, to run. While nine people had expresed an interest in seeking nominations, the withdrawal of Cllr Sweeney left just the three, who were unanimously accepted by the meeting, which was chaired by Bailieboro"s Senator Joe O"Reilly. Fine Gael is expected to hold its county council selection convention for Kells district late this year, when sitting councillors John Farrelly and Eugene Cassidy are expected to be joined by at least one other candidate. They face a tough battle, given the reduction from six to five seats for the Kells area. The boundary switch of Kells into Meath East constituency meant Deputy Shane McEntee addressed the Headfort Arms Hotel meeting, where he urged the three candidates to go all-out to secure seats but Fine Gael has not held three on the council since early 1999. 'The party have to win more seats,' he said, and he joined in tributes to Cllr Sweeney, who stands down after 15 years service.