No shortage of emotive issues

Council profile: Galway Long before the State's largest banks became embroiled in controversy, one of them provided some ideal pre-election material for aspiring local politicians in Co Galway.

Bank of Ireland's decision to pull its travelling banks off the road was the subject of some of the first shots fired in this year's local election battle in Connemara.

Both Government parties rose to the bait, with a Fianna Fáil Minister and Junior Minister and a Progressive Democrats local election nominee becoming involved in the protests - to no avail.

Landfills in the east, rural housing, health services, roads and the ESB's proposed route for high voltage power lines "back west" are some of the other potentially emotive subjects in the campaign - if voters can be persuaded to take sufficient interest.

Fianna Fáil holds the balance of power with 50 per cent of the seats and the view that it has a right to several more lost to party dissidents who were elected as Independents last time around.

Connemara seems pretty "safe" for Fianna Fáil. The fact that Fine Gael's popular councillors, Pól Ó Foighil and J.J. Mannion, are not running will be a big blow to that party, leaving the landscape more open for some 20 candidates in this "field". Those 20 will be battling for seven seats, with Fianna Fáil pushing for four, instead of the current three, and pinning hopes on new candidate, Seán Ó Tuairisg from Inverin.

Séamus Walsh, an Independent councillor and former Fianna Fáil member, will aim to reaffirm the 2,500 votes he secured in the general election, while Údarás na Gaeltachta representative and journalist, Seosamh Ó Cuaig, has built up a high profile over issues such as water quality in Carraroe and grant aid for currach building. Labour has nominated film producer Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, who will be hoping to garner support in the expanding suburb of Moycullen, where there are likely to be more "floating" votes.

Among the other contenders in Connemara are the Green Party's Diarmuid Mulcahy, who has also been vocal on water quality; Jim Larkin and Thomas Welby, son of the late Tom Welby, for the PDs; and Tomás Ó Curraoin of Republican Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin has nominated Pam Conroy among its team of candidates standing in each of the five electoral areas of Galway county.

Some 15 candidates have declared an interest in the seven seats in Tuam, which were secured by Fianna Fáil (3), Fine Gael (3) and the PDs (1) last time out. The abolition of the dual mandate has knocked out Fine Gael's Paul Connaughton and Independent Paddy McHugh, but Mr Connaughton's daughter, Sinéad, is standing. Paddy McHugh is also giving sterling support to Seán Canney from Belclare, who is running as an Independent and hoping that Tuam town will come good for him.

Worries about the future of Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe may influence voting patterns in this area. Some 12 candidates have declared for five seats, four of which are held by Fianna Fáil and one by Fine Gael. Recent factory closures will also be an issue, with Fine Gael's Michael Mullins being closely identified with efforts to find alternatives.

John Cunningham, editor of the Connacht Tribune, believes east Galway holds the key to any real change in the status quo, with "dogfights" predicted in Oranmore and Loughrea. Both of these areas are being targeted by Fine Gael, which was accused of poor vote management in Oranmore in 1999, yielding only one councillor among four.

Former garda, Jim Cuddy, will aim to ensure the Progressive Democrats retain the seat previously held by Noel Grealish. Fine Gael is running Fidelma Healy-Eames, who also stood in the general election, and Michael Carey, alongside sitting councillor Jarlath McDonagh. The Fianna Fáil mayor of Galway county, Tim Rabbitt, is standing again alongside colleague Mary Hoade, who is a former chair of the Western Health Board.

Loughrea will also be one to watch, given that former county mayor, Michael Regan, was nominated latterly to Fianna Fáil's party ticket - spreading its vote across six candidates instead of five.

There was also a row within Fine Gael over selection, with Senator Ulick Burke's daughter, Róisín, having to pull out in favour of sitting co-opted councillor Peter Feeney.

Fine Gael's strategy is to target an extra seat here, giving it three.