Party targets 30 seats in next year's local elections

STRATEGY:LABOUR HAS targeted 30 potential seats in next year's local elections as part of a strategy to build on strong gains it made in 2004, the party's special meeting in Clonmel was told yesterday.

During a session on next year's local and European elections, chairman of the organisation committee James Wrynn told TDs and Senators that this year's revision of local electoral areas was not likely to have a major negative or positive impact for the party.

Mr Wrynn said the change of some areas from three-seaters to four-seaters and the creation of many more seven-seaters would not favour the party, as large electoral areas tended to favour Independent candidates.

However, he said, he was confident that the party could build on its strong performance in the last local elections in 2004 when it increased its number of city and county councillors from 80 to 101.

Both main Opposition parties, Fine Gael and Labour, as well as Sinn Féin, made strong gains in 2004 while Fianna Fáil had an extremely poor election.

Labour's main strength was in urban areas and it won additional seats in Dublin, Cork and Galway. For the first time also, it won more than one seat in a number of key electoral areas.

The session, chaired by deputy leader Joan Burton, heard that 30 areas around the country had been targeted for gains. While emphasising that the party could not hope to win additional seats in each area, Mr Wrynn said that he was optimistic in relation to gains.

Speaking later, party leader Eamon Gilmore would not specify how many seats the party would win, other than to say that he expected to make gains.

Mr Gilmore also said that if Dublin MEP Proinsias De Rossa decided to contest next year's European elections, he would very much welcome it. Mr De Rossa has been said to be considering standing down but Labour strategists believe his absence from the field could favour Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald in a reduced three-seat constituency.

The party's Dublin Central TD Joe Costello also launched a new private members planning Bill aimed at curbing the unregulated growth of the sex industry in Ireland.

Mr Costello said that it was "high time that the sex industry in Ireland was subject to regulation by the authorities". He said that no specific planning permission was required at present for change of use from retail to sex shop.

"In recent years two adult shops were opened in a residential area in Phibsborough directly across from the local church without anybody knowing about the change of use until after it happened," he said.

Mr Costello said the Bill would ensure that planning permission would be required for change of use to an adult or sex shop.

Eamon Timmins of Age Action Ireland also addressed a session. He disclosed that he learned that legislation on the inspection and regulation of nursing homes would be published in October.