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Updated at 3.35pm
AFTER SOMETHING OF a scramble by three of the main parties’ candidates this morning, nominations have now closed for the Dublin South West by-election, with eleven people on the ballot in total.
Sinn Féin’s Cathal King, Fianna Fáil’s John Lahart and Labour’s Pamela Kearns all handed in their nomination papers between 10am this morning and the noon deadline for close of nominations.
The Dublin County Returning Officer’s office, in Finglas, had been accepting papers from candidates since Monday morning.
Any nominated candidate can withdraw from the process up until noon tomorrow.
King, a former mayor of South Dublin County Council, is considered the front-runner for the vote — set to be held on 10 October.
Elsewhere, Fine Gael are running Senator Cáit Keane, a former Progressive Democrats councillor; the Greens’ hopeful is Councillor Francis Duffy, and there’s candidates from two left-wing groups: former MEP Paul Murphy is running for the Anti-Austerity Alliance, and Councillor Nicky Coules – a retired plumber – is bidding for a seat on behalf of People Before Profit.
The Independent candidates include Ronan McMahon, a former Fine Gael member who secured a council seat in May after parting ways with the party; Declan Burke, a recent journalism graduate; and Tony Rochford, who staged a 23-day hunger strike outside the Dáil last summer on the issue of property tax.
The ‘Ming’ seat
Meanwhile, nominations have also closed in Roscommon-South Leitrim, with a further eleven hopefuls running to replace MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan in the Dáil.
Fine Gael’s Maura Hopkins, a recently-elected councillor, is the only female candidate in the field.
Maura Hopkins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny [@hopkins_maura]
Elsewhere amongst the main parties: Ivan Connaughton is vying for the seat for Fianna Fáil, Senator John Kelly is going forward for Labour, and Leitrim-based councillor Martin Kenny is the Sinn Féin nominee.
Amongst the non-party hopefuls, Michael Fitzmaurice – chairman of campaign group the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association – has emerged as the Ming-endorsed candidate for the contest.
Elsewhere, former Mayor and Roscommon Councillor Tom Crosby has been confirmed on the ballot this afternoon. The other independents or smaller party contenders are Emmett Corcoran of Strokestown, Denis O’Brien of Leitrim Village, Gerry O’Boyle of Castlerea, John McDermott of Bohergarve, and Des Guckian of Carrick-on-Shannon.
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