Is the French connection with Fine Gael at an end?

Trim councillor Noel French has confirmed that he does not intend to stand as a candidate for the Fine Gael party in next year's local elections but has not yet declared whether he plans to run as an independent.

Cllr French confirmed to the Meath Chronicle that he told his district chairperson two weeks ago that he would be not running as a candidate for Fine Gael in the 2024 local elections and has also told his colleagues.

However, he also confirmed he was still in discussions with party officials over his future and remains on as a Fine Gael councillor.

It is understood that discussions are ongoing in the party and FG Chief Whip Gerry O'Connor said they would be asking Cllr French to reconsider his decision.

"Noel is a very valuable member of our Fine Gael team on Meath Co Council. His colleagues are trying to talk to him to ask him to reconsider and to stay on board with Fine Gael and contest the next election as a Fine Gael candidate," he said.

Cllr French, a well known historian and writer, was first co-opted to the then Trim Town Council in 2013 as a Fine Gael councillor, and elected to Meath Co Council the following year. In the 2019 elections, he achieved the highest vote ever of a councillor in Meath when he polled just 2,954 votes and achieved almost double the quota. He was added to the Fine Gael ticket for the General Election the following year where he achieved just over seven per cent of the vote with deputies Johnny Guirke (Sinn Féin), Peadar Tóibín (Aontú) and party colleague Damien English being elected on that occasion.

He is currently Cathaoirleach of Trim Municipal District for the fourth time since the recent AGM in June.

His decision not to contest next year's local elections for Fine Gael in Trim shocked many within the party and it remains to be seen if the discussions will result in him being convinced to stay on in the party and contest the elections or if he will stick to his decision.

Cllr French has also stepped away from a number of committees he was in involved in over the past six months including the Board of Tabor House, as director of the Royal Meath Show, and as a committee member with Scurlogstown Olympiad and Meath Archaeological and Historical Society.

Speaking of his decision to step away from these groups, Cllr French said: "I feel I have been involved in most of these groups for 10 years or more and I feel as if I have contributed as much as I can," adding that he is also just thinking "about the future direction of his life".

Cllr French also returned to full time employment last year as a tour guide. "I returned to full time employment last year and I am enjoying that and have so far balanced it well with my council work."

Speaking to the Meath Chronicle about his decision, Cllr French said he is a Fine Gael councillor today, would be a Fine Gael councillor tomorrow and until he decides to leave, he is a Fine Gael councillor but said he won't be a Fine Gael candidate for the next local elections.

"At the moment I can confirm that I have told the district chairperson two weeks ago that I will not be running as a candidate for Fine Gael next year. I have told my Fine Gael colleagues last week and my colleagues on Trim MD and a few more councillors in the last week".

Cllr French went on to say he was "no good at playing politics".

"I'm no good at playing politics and there are so many other people better at playing politics than me. I love being a public representative and the vast majority of people who contact me with queries are the loveliest people ever and I am very pleased to try and help them."

He said: "I haven't 100 per cent decided to run next year. If I was leaving a major party, it throws up a whole lot of issues."

Asked whether national issues were a factor, Cllr French said:"It is mainly local politics that is causing me to make this decision but I do have some issues that I have attempted to raise at a national level and really not got anywhere with them."

Cllr French did confirm that he is in discussions with party officials on his future in the party, so whether the outcome of these discussions will see him reconsider his decision remains to be seen.