Fine Gael selects its two General Election candidates to run in Roscommon-Galway
Dympna Daly Finn and Cllr John Naughten have been ratified as Fine Gael's candidates to contest the next General Election in the Roscommon-Galway constituency.
Drum based councillor John Naughten and Arigna’s Dympna Daly Finn, who narrowly missed out on a council seat in this year’s local elections, have been selected as the Fine Gael candidates to run in the Roscommon-Galway constituency at the next General Election.
Cllr Naughten and Ms Daly Finn were ratified at a packed selection convention held tonight in the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon Town.
At the outset of proceedings, a directive from Fine Gael headquarters, read out by the convention chairperson, MEP Maria Walsh, stipulated that members select two candidates, representing both the northern and southern part of the constituency.
Ms Daly Finn from Arigna in North Roscommon was automatically selected while Cllr Naughten from South Roscommon defeated Ballinasloe Senator Aisling Dolan following a vote by members. Senator Dolan ran for the party in the 2020 General Election.
Hundreds of the party faithful turned out in force tonight for the convention, which had generated plenty of interest in the lead-up as a contest between Senator Dolan and Cllr Naughten always looked likely.
Newly elected Ballinasloe councillor Alan Harney, one of the four candidates seeking a nomination, withdraw his name from the race earlier in the evening.
The constituency organisation in Roscommon-Galway had previously recommended to Fine Gael headquarters that two candidates be selected to run in both the north and south of the constituency.
The two selected candidates will be bidding to end Fine Gael’s absence in Dáil Éireann since 2011.
Roscommon/Galway is a three seat constituency, the two other sitting TDs being Sinn Fein’s Clare Kerrane and Independent Ireland’s Michael Fitzmaurice.
