Ex-Labour councillor hopes FG win three seats in Cork East

A former Labour Party councillor in Co Cork, who has joined Fine Gael for the 2016 general election, said he did not believe Labour had faith in him.

Fine Gael announced on Saturday it was adding Fermoy based councillor Noel McCarthy to its ticket, joining sitting TDs David Stanton from Midleton and Tom Barry from Killavullen in the four seat constituency.

Mr McCarthy topped the poll in last year’s local elections in the Fermoy electoral area with 20 per cent of the vote when he polled 3,511 first preferences to take the first seat in the six seat electoral area on the first count.

“I left the Labour Party six weeks ago. I left because I felt there was no room for me on the ticket to represent Labour for the upcoming election, to represent the people of Fermoy and the Cork East constituency,” he told Sean O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1.

“I left because I was unhappy and during that six weeks I was approached by Fine Gael and over the discussion with local members in Fine Gael and national people within Fine Gael I felt that this was the best option for the people I represent and for myself.”

Mr McCarthy, who has described himself in the past as a lifetime Labour supporter, said the decision was a “very very difficult” one to make. He added that he felt the party was not showing faith in him.

Mr McCarthy said he had been received warmly by the two sitting Fine Gael TDs in Cork East and the focus now will be on trying to get three seats for the party in the constituency – a task analysts believe is unachievable.

The addition of both Mr McCarthy and Fianna Fáil candidate Barbara Ahern to the election races brings to 12 the number of declared runners in Cork East which is currently represented by Mr Stanton, Mr Barry, Labour TD Sean Sherlock and Sinn Féin’s Sandra McLellan who is stepping down at the end of the Dáil term.