CONSTITUENCY PROFILE:WHEN THE electorate gets the opportunity to choose a new government on February 25th, just three months will have passed since the voters of Donegal South West last went to the polls on November 25th.
The victor in the long-delayed byelection was Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty, who filled the Dáil seat left vacant by the election of Pat the Cope Gallagher of Fianna Fáil to the European Parliament in June 2009.
Doherty, who initiated the High Court challenge that forced the Government to hold the byelection, hit the ground running as his party’s finance spokesman, attacking the Labour Party. The Glenties-based TD and former senator’s economic policies have been criticised. But he has proven himself more comfortable discussing fiscal matters in media appearances than party leader Gerry Adams and is widely expected to retain his place in the three-seat constituency.
Mary Coughlan, a TD for 24 years, should also hold on, particularly given the absence of Gallagher. She topped the 2007 poll with more than 26 per cent of the vote, while Gallagher secured 24 per cent. “I am only 45 and I have at least another 20 years in me,” she said recently.
This time Coughlan is joined on the party ticket by defeated Donegal South West byelection candidate Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill. He is recognised as an energetic canvasser, but his more experienced running mate should triumph. The pair were selected unopposed last month at a hastily-arranged party convention in Glenties, to which delegates were notified by text message.
Former Donegal County Council chairman Enda Bonner withdrew his name, complaining that Fianna Fáil HQ had not notified him in advance of the convention and he had only learned of it through another source two days in advance.
Veteran Fine Gael TD Dinny McGinley is the only representative from his party contesting the election. McGinley, who had announced his retirement before the 2007 election, is now seeking re-election for a ninth successive term. His wish is likely to be granted. Fine Gael’s defeated candidate in the byelection, RTÉ sports reporter and producer Barry O’Neill, had also hoped to contest the constituency for the party but was not selected at the convention in Glenties last month. Fine Gael ruled it would run only one candidate in the constituency and O’Neill forced a contest, but was disappointed.
Labour councillor Frank McBrearty jnr endured a torrid byelection, although he more than trebled his party’s minuscule share of the vote in the last general election. He goes forward as the party’s candidate in the national poll. A comfortable win in the 2009 local elections in his Stranorlar base did not translate into constituency-wide support on November 25th and he is not expected to have a significant impact on February 25th.
Independents have also thrown their hats in the ring. Popular Councillor Thomas Pringle from Killybegs stayed in the byelection race longer than McBrearty. Also in the contest is Ann Sweeney, a hotelier from Dunfanaghy. Chairman of Ardara Town Traders Stephen McCahill will also run as an Independent. The Green Party is fielding John Duffy, a solar panel installer.
