Crowded field of 18 candidates in Navan fielding equally high number of concerns

Electorate: 25,708

Seats: 7

Sitting councillors:

Yemi Adenuga (FG), Francis Deane (Ind),  Eddie Fennessy (SF), Padraig Fitzsimons (FF), Alan Lawes (Ind), Tommy Reilly (FF), Emer Toibin (Aontu)

(All running again)

Candidates: Kashif Ali (FF), Niamh Carroll (FF), Jose Cyriac (Aontu), Edel Gillick (Ind), Ross Kelly (FG), Seamus McMenamin (Green Party), Frances Murphy (SF), Linda Nelson Murray (FG), Caoimhe Ní Shluain (SF), David O' Shea (Irish Freedom Party), Francis O'Toole (Aontu).

NAVAN has always been the biggest battlefield in Meath local politics and 2024 is no different with 18 candidates on the ballot paper.

With strong sitting councillors - all seven are seeking re-election - and some very popular newcomers, the outcome of this election is very hard to predict but there may well be new faces on the council in June.

Navan is the smallest electoral area geographically and is mostly urban, taking in the town of Navan and its many housing estates, Johnstown and extending out towards Ardbraccan and Bohermeen and down towards Robinstown.

Traffic, the housing crisis, anti-social behaviour and a lack of recreational amenities, school places and creches are among the major issues focussing the minds of voters in Navan, Candidates from all the parties have been hearing desperate tales of housing insecurity and of anti-social behaviour, particularly in the town centre and there is considerable concern about the traffic congestion in Navan town.

Trade Unionist John Regan said that housing remains the biggest issue in Navan and Meath Trades Council and the SIPTU Trade Union have been lobbying all the parties and independents on this issue.

"We have proposed that the council procure a state -owned company for the purpose of public housing. In the last 12 month, 471 houses were built in Meath. Had the council access to a state-owned company, there would be better value for money and would be a game-changer in terms of compliance in construction," he said.

In the rural areas, pylons are still a major issue for part of the electoral area including Boyerstown, Dunderry and Robinstown.

Community activist and volunteer Catherine Webster says funding for the maintenance of housing estates is also a major issue.

Ms Webster, who is involved with The Orchard Residents Association in Athlumney, said people believe they pay their property taxes and they feel that maintenance of estate shouldn't have to be funded and carried out by residents.

"In many estates the residents are getting older and don't have the physical energy to carry out maintenance. In newer estates, you have young couples, both communing to work, away from home long hours with too little time to get involved," she said.

Navan has seen considerable changes since the last election including massive investment in the Navan 2030 project and a network of new cycle and pedestrian schemes, along with a raft of new housing developments.

Traffic congestion during the various roadwork schemes and since the completion of works on Kennedy Road/ Market Square and the reversal of traffic on Ludlow Street is also causing major concern, particularly among businesses in the town who feel they have had to deal with the Covid lockdowns, the cost of living crisis, endless roadworks and congestion and the year long closure of Tara Mines. all hitting local businesses hard.

Families are concerned that with the growing population, recreational and sports facilities as well as creche and school places are in short supply.

The Navan area has a history of electing a broad mix of councillors from all parties and independents and there is a colourful array of candidates in this election.

There may be many surprises on the way. A young Fianna Fail candidate, Kashif Ali, is being tipped by pundits across the political spectrum to do particularly well in this election and appears to have huge support behind him.

Fianna Fail's Cllr Tommy Reilly, the current county chairman, topped the poll in Navan in 2019 and party colleague Padraig Fitzsimons was also elected.

Fianna Fail has made the bold decision to run four candidates this year - Tommy Reilly and Padraig Fitzsimons are seeking re-election with Kashif Ali and Niamh Carroll, also on the ticket.

Independents and the smaller parties have always thrown up surprises in Navan. Francis Deane, an independent councillor since 2009 can be fairly certain to retain his seat, while Alan Lawes, the Johnstown resident who was first elected as an Independent councillor in 2014 has continued to build up his strong profile over the past five years and is running an impressive non poster campaign.

Sinn Fein is running three candidates in Navan, the current Mayor, Cllr Eddie Fennessy, Caoimhe Ní Shluain and Johnstown-based Frances Murphy. The party lost a seat in Navan 2019 and has just one councillor at the moment, but they are preparing to regain that lost seat and even setting sights on a third.

Cllr Fennessy was co-opted onto Meath County Council in 2018 and retained the seat at the 2019 the local elections. Frances Murphy, a first time candidate, is a founding member/treasurer of Johnstown Village Tidy Towns. Caoimhe Ní Shluáin is mother of two young boys, a teacher and a former Mayor of Navan. She was only the second ever woman to hold the position and the youngest ever mayor in Ireland.

Fine Gael is running sitting councillor, Yemi Adenuga, who is joined on the ticket by Linda Nelson Murray and Ross Kelly. Businesswoman Linda Murray, a member of the Nelson family from Navan is a parliamentary assistant to Deputy Damien English and is expected to poll extremely well given her strong local connections. Ross Kelly, who is a peace commissioner, previously ran for Fine Gael in the 2019 elections in the Navan Municipal District where he received an impressive 805 first preferences before being eliminated on the 10th count.

Aontú councillor, Emer Tóibín can be fairly confident of holding onto her seat and is joined by two running mates, teacher, Francis O'Toole and store manager Jose Cyriac as the party seeks to increase its representation on the council. A candidate to look out for this year will be local GP Seamus McMenamin, who will be running for the Green Party. A popular local GP, he came very close to winning a seat for the party in 2019.

Edel Gillick, an Independent candidate known for her anti-immigration views and Irish Freedom Party candidate David O'Shea will test the strength of anti immigration sentiment in the local area. Navan is always the arena for the toughest fights when it comes to local elections and with so many very strong candidates in the running this year, we can expect many surprise results in early June.