Nelson Murray takes over the reins from political mentor

The seismic departure of Damien English from political life after 25 years paves the way for his parliamentary assistant Linda Nelson Murray, a freshly minted county councillor with clear ambitions to keep that Fine Gael seat in the general election.

Navan's Cllr Nelson Murray was selected as the Fine Gael candidate for Meath West last Wednesday night following Deputy English's announcement that he is stepping down from politics.

The Navan businesswoman was selected by a Fine Gael Party convention chaired by former Enterprise Minister, Simon Coveney.

Cllr Nelson Murray was elected to Meath County Council for the first time last June. She is a member of the Nelson family from Navan and worked as 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.

Councillor Nelson Murray said: “I am truly honoured to have been selected by the members of Meath West. I’ve lived and worked in this constituency all my life and now as I raise my family here, I have always prided myself on understanding the issues that matter most to the people of Meath West, and being elected to Meath County Council has given me an even broader understanding of how local and national government work together and what can be delivered with the right influence and determination. Given my role within Fine Gael as a Parliamentary Assistant for the past 4.5 years has also taught me a lot!” “As a mother of two young girls, I understand the challenges parents face regarding childcare and I want to see more being done to facilitate working parents, particularly around the extended use of school buildings to provide on-site care. I want to see real inclusivity for children with additional needs in schools also as they have as much as a right to education.

“Similarly, I want greater accessibility for mental health services, particularly for those in rural areas and farmers.

“In tandem with this, we need greater investment in rural infrastructure, to include climate change adjustments in our daily lives. And having campaigned for insurance reform for a number of years, my work will continue to support businesses, groups and charities.

“Finally, I wish to pay tribute to outgoing TD Damien English, who has paved the way for me to have this wonderful opportunity. He leaves behind a rich legacy of service to the people of Meath West, which I hope to build on. He has been a mentor to me for some time, but more importantly, he has been and remains a good friend. I wish him much happiness in his next chapter.”