Mr Jackie Cahill
The former Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association President, Mr Jackie Cahill (Thurles), has been selected to represent the Fianna Fáil party in the recently formed new constituency of Tipperary, in the next general election.
Currently an elected County Tipperary Councillor, Mr Cahill won 260 of the first preference votes in the first count, some 40 votes behind Mr Michael Smith Jnr, latter son of former Minister and a long-time North Tipperary TD Mr Michael Smith.
In the fourth election round count however Mr Cahill was deemed elected, ending up with 454 votes to Mr Smith’s 381 total.
Dr Martin Mansergh surprisingly polled the fewest first-preferences votes, just 37, from among the overall 852 votes cast from some 980 delegates present; all eligible to vote in last night’s election convention.
A second candidate is now expected to be added to the ‘Tipperary Ticket’ by Fianna Fáil party headquarters in the coming months. This is seen as an attempt to provide a more geographical balance across this large county. It is now expected that one of the defeated female candidate at last night’s convention, either M/s Siobhán Ambrose (Clonmel) or M/s Imelda Goldsboro (Coalbrook) could now also be added.
Presently representing Co. Tipperary are the Minister for the Environment Mr Alan Kelly of the Labour Party, Fine Gael Minister of State Mr Tom Hayes and his party colleague Deputy Mr Noel Coonan; together with Independent TD’s Mr Michael Lowry, Mr Mattie McGrath and Mr Séamus Healy.
Our next General Election expected to be held early next year here in Co. Tipperary will be the first time ever to see a unified reduced five-seat constituency, thus replacing the former Ridings of Tipperary South and Tipperary North, which in the past when joined together made up an overall six seat constituency.
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