Parties revealing candidates for 2024 Local Elections
With the 2024 Local Elections now less than a year away, a number of selection conventions have taken place with both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil selecting their candidates for Navan in recent weeks.
Fine Gael held its selection convention on 13th July with sitting councillor Yemi Adenuga to be joined on the ticket by Linda Murray and Ross Kelly.
Businesswoman Murray is a member of the Nelson family from Navan and is a parliamentary assistant to Deputy Damien English. She runs The Zone activity centre with husband Finbarr and has been very vocal on the high cost of insurance for businesses. She was instrumental in setting up PALI (Play Activity and Leisure Ireland) which now has over 100 members in a group insurance scheme including play centres, pet farms, multi-activity centres and playgrounds.
Kelly, who is a peace commissioner, previously ran for Fine Gael in the 2019 elections in the Navan Municipal District where he received 805 first preferences before being eliminated on the 10th count. He has been vocal on issues including transport and says he is determined to bring the younger generation's voice to the decision making table and feels it is important for the community to have someone under 30 living in the area on Meath County Council.
Fianna Fáil has selected Cllr Tommy Reilly, currently chairperson of Meath County Council and sitting councillor Padraig Fitzsimons to run in the Navan area. Last time the party chose to run three candidates in Navan, and it remains to be seen whether another contender will be added to the ticket.
Meanwhile, in the Kells Municipal District, Fine Gael has selected sitting councillors Eugene Cassidy from Nobber and Sarah Reilly from Kells as well as Seamus Magee from Ballinlough. Seamus Magee is prominent farmer and former chairman of the Meath branch of the Irish Farmer's Association (IFA).
Fianna Fail is due to hold its conventions for the Kells and east Meath areas this evening (Tuesday). The Kells area currently has three sitting Fianna Fáil councillors - Paul McCabe, Mike Bray and Sean Drew. Also going forward for selection in the Kells Municipal Area is Oldcastle’s Marty Lynch, a son of former Dáil deputy, the late Micheal Lynch, of the well-known publican and traditional Irish music family.
Sinn Féin has not yet held any of their conventions in Meath and said it is in early stages of that process and their plan is to have a full panel of candidates in place by early Autumn.