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FORMER TD KATE O’Connell has said she won’t be putting her name forward for the Fine Gael nomination in the Dublin Bay South by-election.
A by-election is due to be held in the coming months in this constituency after former minister Eoghan Murphy announced he would resign his seat.
Former Fine Gael TD O’Connell said she made clear her intentions to put forward her name for selection as the party candidate in the by-election.
However, today she announced she would not be going ahead with this.
Speaking to RTÉ radio’s Today With Claire Byrne, she said: “I’ve spoken to people across the country, people across the constituency, people who have supported me and people who would be in the know.
“And it appears that preparations have been made for a long time, that it would be impossible for me to win a convention.
She said there seems to be many reasons why she was not the “desired” candidate in this by-election.
O’Connell said she will “of course” stay in Fine Gael, adding that it “wouldn’t be in my nature to stand aside and be silenced in any way”.
She discussed her time as a TD, but said she “wouldn’t see myself as a victim at all”.
“Perhaps there may have been an idea that I served a purpose in taking the seat back from Renua and my job was done, but also over the years I have faced sort of particularly personalised commentary and attacks in terms of attending Fine Gael meetings.”
She said somebody “had actually gone to the effort” of placing a sod of turf in her team member’s bag “and said “she was going to present it to me in front of people” at a party meeting.
She said things like this might not seem that serious, but “that’s designed to diminish” because she’s “from the country” and not from Dublin Bay South.
Fine Gael Councillor James Geoghegan has secured the support of the 12 party branches in Dublin Bay South.
Damien English, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail and Fine Gael TD for Meath West said today that he was disappointed O’ Connell is not running.
“I thought she had a chance of winning so it is a pity,” English said.
English said he believed that there was equal support from the party for both Geoghegan and O’Connell to run as candidates.
Fine Gael party sources state that it was made clear to O’Connell that there was space for her to run as candidate. However, they said a person has to put their name in the hat at the selection convention.
They added that just because 12 branches nominated Geoghegan to be their by-election candidate did not preclude O’Connell from seeking a nomination.
Party sources also denied that it was a gender issue, or that cracks in the relationship between the party leader Leo Varadkar and O’Connell since the Fine Gael leadership contest had anything to do with her not being a candidate in the by-election.
At the moment, the sitting TDs in the area are: Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, Sinn Féin’s Chris Andrews, the departing Eoghan Murphy and Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan.
Ryan was elected on the first count ahead of Andrews last year, with Murphy taking the third seat and O’Callaghan squeezing O’Connell out for the final seat.
O’Connell, who is a pharmacist, was not supported by the Fine Gael national executive for a Seanad seat after losing her seat as a TD.
Labour’s Ivana Bacik is the sole nomination for the party in the by-election, it was announced today. Meanwhile, Lord Mayor of Dublin and Green Party chair Hazel Chu announced this week she is seeking nomination to run.
With additional reporting by Christina Finn
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Love a bit of good news on a Friday
@Mattress Dick: What I want to know is: where is the daily update on Hazel? It is mid-afternoon and I am getting withdrawal symptoms.
And the world breathes a collective sigh of relief.
Surprised comments are open. Closed on RTE/DOB & Spindo/Harris and on Direct Provision one, i have noticed a lot more lately that seem to have no ongoing legal matters, so what is reason for no comments on articles with no ongoing legal matters on the bastion of open journalism these days ?
@Da Dell: The politicians and their PR “experts” don’t like reading the true feelings and views about themselves.
@Da Dell: I mentioned yesterday that you need to mind every word that you write in the comments section and it was removed.
@Da Dell: If closing comments on articles published continues at the rate it now stands no one would be bothered with this copy and paste rag… it’s only purpose is to allow people to let off some steam .
Good news Friday…
Kate gave a staggering interview which shows a real sinister element to FG party procedures.
The fact that she was warned by Leo not to speak to the media and had a councilor intend to present her with a sod of turf to symbolise she wasn’t native to the constituency is some actual mafia level nonsense.
@Rochelle: she could always run as an independent
@Rochelle: where’s the horse’s head in the bed?
@Rochelle: Not a normal party
@Rochelle: Absolutely that right there is serious bullying behaviour to be honest.
She lost, she should get over it.
Ah another one who has missed jumping on the gravy train once again… what a shame NOT
@Geoff Bateman: NOT???? Have you come here from the 90s? I’m so jealous, I’d love to go back ;-)
Heard the interview , hopefully she can back up all the allegations,wonder why people didn’t vote for her last time
@Margaret Deacon: Maybe some answers here: https://gript.ie/profile-kate-o-connell-fine-gael/
@Earth Traveller: I think we can all agree Gript is currently the most misleading and least reliable sites in Ireland and should never, ever, be used as evidence or backup in an argument.
@Ciarán Ó Fallúin: To be fair gript did the country a great service exposing ISAG at the time when every other media organisation was giving them a lot of support rather than questioning.
I am sorry to hear Kate not going forward- she speaks her mind and the truth -she is not a fan of Leo – it is Finn Gael’s loss – keep up the good work Kate
@Anne Finnerty: I cannot understand why she won’t put herself forward for the selection process. You are not out until you are out and it seems unless she is guaranteed the nomination she isn’t going to contest.
Very snowflake like behaviour … as I voter in this constituency I would expect her to put up more of a fight than this
As you once said in a smarmy jibe “But you lost and it must be hurting, but we’ll get our way.” Guess we did Kate. Nobody in Dublin Bay South will be sad to see the back of you.
That sod of turf prank is unbelievably infantile and speaks to a level of 1mmaturity and snobbery among certain people in the organisation. Not a fan of Kate but j4ysus…. this is why people outside Dublin h4te some of us!
@David Clements: snobbery in fine gael. The shock. Snobbery is a bed rock of the party and its entitled acolytes
@Jess Delahunt: at least 30 years ago FG were holding a function in the upstairs lounge of the Autobahn Pub in Glasnevin . they were selling raffle tickets at €5 each on an average Tuesday or Wednesday … One seller got the not so bright idea of leaving the safety of the lounge and venturing downstairs into the Public Bar to try and sell tickets …. He was laughed out of it back to his posh do…. I recall saying to myself that evening …this crowd are not living in the real word …. nothing has changed I think.
Quel Surprise! New F G have sexist as well as classsist mores!
Person decides not to run for political office ; comment away lads and insult her all you want .Transgender person decides to run for political office in America, comments closed in case we might insult the journal snowflakes
Very sorry that she’s not running.
After her choirboys remark I’m surprised she wasn’t sidelined long ago
Regardless of political affiliation I saw the feed of her interview this morning and she’s obviouly a very intelligent, articulate person but I have to admit my overwhelming thought was dear god, she is one beautiful woman.
Ah our very own Jackie Kennedy
Just not enough swing votes to get her elected.
No wonder there are so few women in politics when you see some of the brave keyboard warriors voicing their ‘opinions’ here.
She is principled and that’s something these days
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