Outgoing TDs: Peter Burke (FG); Joe Flaherty (FF); Robert Troy (FF); Sorca Clarke (SF)
Who are the candidates running in the Longford-Westmeath constituency?
- Fidelma Bennet (LAB)
- Paul Bradley (IND)
- Peter Burke (FG)
- Barry Campion (SF)
- Tanya Cannon (FG)
- Micheál Carrigy (FG)
- Sorca Clarke (SF)
- Dympna Cunniffe (FF)
- Joe Flaherty (FF)
- Louise Heavin (IND)
- Paul Hogan (II)
- Donal Jackson (IND)
- Charlotte Keenan (IND)
- Margaret Alacoque Maguire (IF)
- Kevin Boxer Moran (IND)
- Carol Okeke (GP)
- Laura O’Neill (AON)
- Dave Smyth (PBPS)
- Robert Troy (FF)
- Gerry Warnock (IND)
- Source Longford-Westmeath returning officer
This constituency of two north midlands counties is now a five-seater. Even with all four incumbents running, there will be at least one new TD. Fianna Fáil came out well in 2020, winning two out of four seats with each candidate canvassing in a separate county: Robert Troy in Westmeath; Joe Flaherty in Longford. With an extra seat this time around, it’s hard to see either candidate losing their seat.
The same goes for the leading Fine Gael candidate, Peter Burke. Having now served as a senior minister in Government, the Mullingar-based TD could top the poll.
What about Sinn Féin? Sorca Clarke got an impressive 21 per cent of the first preferences in 2020 and was elected on the first count. It’s unlikely she will repeat that performance but she will need to get into double digits in order to get near the quota. Sinn Féin did not have a great local election in Westmeath but neither did it in 2019. As such there might be a question mark over her seat.
At present, there is no TD from the western side of the constituency, namely Athlone. Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran lost his seat in 2020 but earned a phenomenal local election result in Athlone last summer, where he hauled in 40 per cent of the vote. That has put him into contention, but Moran will have to pull votes from outside his hometown. “His votes fall over a cliff once he is past the Kilmartin Roundabout (the eastern boundary of Athlone town),” said one rival. “That would be the only concern.”
That said, Moran will be favourite to take the new seat.
If Fine Gael’s Michael Carrigy in Longford can add several hundred votes to the 6,300 first-preference votes he got in 2016, he could be in a battle, perhaps, with Clarke for the last seat. Fine Gael has a third candidate, Athlone-based Tanya Cannon.
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Of the other candidates, Independent Ireland’s Paul Hogan is a former Sinn Féin councillor, and Louise Heavin is a former Green councillor. Gerry Warnock could take some votes off Joe Flaherty in Longford town but they will be transferred back. Fidelma Bennett of Labour is unlikely to be in contention to win back the seat formerly held for the party by Willie Penrose.
Both counties are considered almost as commuting counties for Dublin and transport, fuel prices, public transport and rail are big issues. There has been a big increase in population, particularly in Westmeath towns, and education, health and childcare are big issues. With big rural areas, and former Bord na Móna bogs, CAP and Just Transition also feature.
A big swathe of Westmeath on the Meath border, including Killua, Riverdale and Hilltown, has come back into the constituency from Meath West, meaning that the constituency now aligns with the county boundaries. The main towns are Mullingar, Athlone and Longford.
Possible outcome: Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (2), Independent (1)