Red flags abound as FF raise some white ones

COUNCIL PROFILE: FINGAL:THE RED flag flies over Fingal. Well maybe not quite, but Labour is its largest party and it is the county with the highest number of Socialist Party councillors.

Half the State’s total number of Socialists sit in Fingal. While that is just two councillors, Clare Daly and Ruth Coppinger, it could very soon be three if the two incumbents are joined by the party’s big hitter, former TD Joe Higgins.

The sitting Socialists were largely elected on the now defunct anti bin tax campaign last time out. However, the downturn in the economy could see them hold firm, particularly Ms Daly who has had quite a high profile as an Aer Lingus shop steward and for her stint in prison in relation to the bin tax campaign.

Mr Higgins will almost certainly be elected in the Castleknock ward where there are only eight candidates running for four seats. These are currently held by two Fianna Fáil councillors, one Labour and one Fine Gael. The latter two, Eithne Loftus of FG and Labour’s Peggy Hamill, are likely to keep their seats, but Fianna Fáil seems to have given up the ghost. Despite holding two seats, it is only running one candidate, the incumbent Mags Murray. The other sitting councillor Brenda Clifford is bowing out and the party is not fielding a replacement.

Things also look grim for Fianna Fáil in the east of the constituency. The three-seater of Howth and the four-seater of Malahide have been amalgamated and pared down to just five. There are 15 candidates seeking seats in the new ward. Howth currently has no Fianna Fáil representative, Malahide just one. The fact that Michael Woods is a TD for the area might not help either.

The Green Party is also at risk in this ward. The party got a huge boost in Fingal last time out gaining three seats, one of their best performances in any constituency. However, one of those was in Malahide and another in Howth, and it’s questionable whether they could hold on to both seats.

It is not good news for Fianna Fáil in Mulhuddart either, where its one sitting candidate Margaret Richardson is not running. However, this ward is moving from a four- to a five-seater, so there may be some room for Fianna Fáil.

Fingal council cannot be faulted for variety, with representatives of all parties and none. It is remarkable for its strong showing from the smaller parties and the resilience of its two independents. David O’Connor and May McKeon are both running again in the Balbriggan ward. This ward is gaining a seat and both independents look safe.

Last time out Fingal was one of the fastest growing areas in the country and huge numbers of new housing estates were built to meet the growing demands of workers forced out of the city council area by rising house prices. The fall in demand has led to difficulties with half-finished estates and there is concern that some areas might be turning into ghost towns. Metro North is the big hope for the future development of the county.

How the parties stand

(Outgoing)

FF5

FG5

Lab6

GP3

SF1

Others4