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FINE GAEL TD Olivia Mitchell is set to announce that she will not run for re-election despite saying as recently as last week she would be running again.
The Dublin South deputy told TheJournal.ie on Thursday that she WOULD be contesting the forthcoming Fine Gael selection convention for the redrawn Dublin-Rathdown constituency.
But the Irish Independent reported today that Mitchell is expected to announce her retirement from politics and informed headquarters of her intentions in recent days.
Local and national Fine Gael sources have today confirmed this is the case and that Mitchell is likely to announce her decision tomorrow.
Mitchell has so far failed to deny the story.
She is understood to be unhappy that the news of her impending retirement has been reported in the media prior to her informing Fine Gael members and supporters in the constituency.
Her departure intensifies an intriguing battle for the Fine Gael nomination in the highly competitive three-seater where another FG incumbent, Alan Shatter, has so far indicated he will be seeking the party’s nomination.
However, as we reported on Saturday, the former justice minister faces a battle for members’ backing with many of his supporters now moved into a neighbouring constituency.
The boundary redraw has reduced the number of Fine Gael members in Dublin-Rathdown from over 400 to around 230 with some of Shatter’s supporters now moved into Dublin South-West.
His popularity locally has also waned in the wake of the various garda and justice controversies that forced him to resign from cabinet last year and the closure of a local garda station.
Councillor Neale Richmond is expected to be Shatter’s strongest opponent at the Fine Gael convention and will have the backing of many of Mitchell’s supporters.
His council colleague Josepha Madigan could benefit from a possible directive from Fine Gael HQ to select at least one female candidate in the wake of Mitchell’s departure.
Given one female TD is departing it is unlikely that Fine Gael would run an all-male ticket in the constituency as at least a third of all its general election candidates are legally required to be female.
However Madigan took to Facebook earlier to say she had “no intention of being a ticket filler”.
Another local councillor, Barry Saul, could now put his name forward at convention having earlier indicated he would not run if both Shatter and Mitchell did seek re-election.
Fine Gael has scheduled a selection convention for 2 October with nomination papers distributed last week. Party headquarters is also currently conducting private polling in the constituency to determine candidate strategy.
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Where to buy?
In Dublin -The Brew Dock, Against the Grain, Alfie Byrnes, The Black Sheep and well stocked off licences.
Any craft off licenses. You can get it on draft in any of the Galway bay bars http://www.galwaybaybrewery.com/bars/
Cheers
Off-license = off-licenCe
Draft = draught
Craft = craught…..aw no wait
Kavanaghs in Dorset Street might sell it too, another great craft pub with excellent staff.
8.5%! Can’t beat the double IPA. Well done folks
i knew there was a good reason to visit Galway :-)
And not just for the Galway Hookers! ;)
Also a beer!!
Well done to them. They really are the best brewers in the country. Of Foam And Fury is one of my favourite tipples.
I am looking forward to trying it out.
Well done Galway Bay Brewing company… #upourside
Yeah – you know Arthur Guinness once ran a small brewery – had a quality product and well look what happened. I say we burn down their breweries before they too commercial… also not everyone should buy them cos then they’ll get more money and seek to expand.
Now i’m off to work after a nice cup of tweeks coffee.
He did Gabby. Then his company bought up breweries around the country just to close them down. They used their brand power to force other competitors out of the market. Soon they had a monopoly and controlled the taps of every pub in Ireland. Nobody said Guinness was a bad beer, but many lamented a lack of choice. You can have Guinness, Smithwicks or Harp. Nothing else. Eventually they got adventurous and replaced Harp taps with Carlsberg and Budweiser. And so it remained until some brave entrepreneurs tried to challenge the status quo.
Prefer their Bay Ale but we’ll done to them though
Galway hooker and Copper Coast Red Ale would be my two personal favourites at the moment
I once had a pint of that foam and fury and it put me off craft stout forever
Some of the stouts are vile.
It’s not a stout.
Its not a stout, maybe you are confusing it with something else
Buried at sea is the Galway Brewing Companies stout. Tried it before, very strong flavour. Wouldn’t be to alot of peoples liking. Foam and fury is a really nice double IPA.
I think some people can be shocked when they discover that beer actually has a taste!
Try “White Hag Oatmeal Stout” amazing!
Even more shocking is the hangovers some of the “craft” beers give. Reckon quality control is out the window on some of them
Perhaps I am, I asked for a Guinness they said they had none and served Me foam and fury. My bad,sorry guys.
Most big brand lagers are around the 4 to 5% alcohol mark..
Foam and Fury is 8.5% so if you’re knocking them back like a pint of Bud expect a bad hangover!
@Al Right
That is the problem in Ireland. people go on sessions and drink 15 pints. That is why all these Buds and Heinos and others are so popular. But things are changing.
Black Donkey beer is also nice I think its from the West too
Great beers, Full sail is my favorite
If your looking for it in a bottle mchughs.ie have it and many more.
Most Supervalu’s too
Check out Of Foam & Fury beer flavoured chilli sauce by Mics Chilli! Amazing for marinating steaks!
Metalman brewing’s Equinox is my favorite beer, its outstanding!
Well done Galway Bay Brewery!!!
You can get Foam and Fury and Rustbucket in McHughs bar Ennis as well as a lot of other Irish and international craft beers
@McHughs_Bar
I miss the Biddy Early Brewery. They were doing before it was trendy.
So was Porterhouse, Carlow and Franciscan Well. They still exist though Franciscan Well is now part of Molson Coors.
OFAF is a cracking beer as are the other two.
Muck….
have your say