Search for bodies may affect SF seats

Meath: 29 seats on Meath County Council in five electoral areas: Slane (5), Kells (6), Navan (7), Trim (5) and Dunshaughlin (6). Three urban district councils with nine seats each at Kells, Navan and Trim.

The search for the bodies of IRA murder victims at sites near Kells and Navan may influence the election chances of the Sinn Fein Navan UDC and Meath County Council candidate, Mr Joe O'Reilly, according to pollsters, as well as others under the party flag.

For Labour this is the first time since 1904 that a member of the Clusker family will not be contesting a seat either on Navan Urban District Council or the County Council, with the retirement of Mr Brendan Clusker. Labour has lost other candidates, notably former TD Mr Brian Fitzgerald, following its merger with Democratic Left.

For Fine Gael it should be relatively easy to maintain numbers as this is the constituency of the party leader, Mr John Bruton.

In the county council elections the Kells electoral area, which used to have seven seats, has lost one to Dunshaughlin. Fianna Fail had four of the seven, but will find it difficult to retain all.

Fine Gael had two seats here. The likely outcome being suggested is: Fianna Fail three, Fine Gael two, and possibly one to Labour.

In Dunshaughlin Mr Brian Fitzgerald, a former Labour TD, is standing as an independent and is likely to retain his seat. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both claim they will retain their present two seats each, leaving one floating which could go anywhere, according to canvassers.

Navan has seven seats. Fianna Fail has three, having been joined by a community candidate, Ms Patricia Hegarty, during the last term. Fine Gael has two. There is one Labour seat held by Mr Clusker, and Democratic Left took one the last time.

This election should see a scramble in Navan as Mr Clusker has retired and UDC councillor Mr Joe O'Reilly, a Sinn Fein ardcomhairle member, is coming on strong, as is the former Democratic Left (now independent) candidate, Mr Christy Gorman. Labour has two new candidates.

Fianna Fail hopes to get three here, Fine Gael expects two, and with one independent the last seat may go to Mr O'Reilly

Slane is a five-seater. Last time it was two Fine Gael, one Fianna Fail, one Labour, one independent, Mr Gerry Marry, who is not contesting this time, and Mr James Cudden, formerly of Labour, now standing as an independent. Mr Tom Kelly, formerly of Fine Gael, is also contesting as an independent. Fine Gael sources say it will be two Fianna Fail, two Fine Gael and one independent.

In the UDC elections the position was as follows:

Kells UDC: three Fianna Fail, two Fine Gael, one Labour and three independents. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both expect to gain a seat.

Trim UDC: four Fianna Fail, two Fine Gael, one Labour and two independents. Fianna Fail is battling to maintain strong representation in Mr Noel Dempsey's home patch.

Navan UDC: Mr Joe O'Reilly of Sinn Fein holds a seat here. Pollsters claim there is "a bit of annoyance locally about the bodies of the disappeared". It remains to be seen how this will translate into votes.