O'Neill undecided about running for county council
Ballyshannon councillor considering his position
South Donegal councillor Barry O’Neill is considering quitting politics ahead of the closing of nominations for his party’s selection for the local elections in May.
The Fine Gael county councillor is understood to have been undecided as to whether to put his name forward to run for the county council in this year’s local elections.
Convention
The nominations for the Fine Gael selection convention for the Donegal Municipal District on February 8 close on Monday.
Former Fine Gael county councillor John Boyle has already declared that he is intending to run.
Mr O’Neill, who works as a sports producer for RTÉ, declined to comment on his plans. It is understood however that he has been considering whether to quit politics completely for some time.
The Ballyshannon councillor was first elected to the council in 2004 and will have served 15 years this year.
Byelection
He stood for the party in the Donegal South West by-election in 2010.
He was elected to the council in 2014 with 1,062 first preference votes.
Mr O’Neill’s decision will be watched closely in south Donegal.
Sean O’Beirne, who is PRO for the Kilcar Parish Council, has announced he is to run in the council elections in May.
Candidates
John Campbell, who was elected in 2014, stepped down earlier this month and is to be replaced on the council by Seamus Maguire from Donegal Town.
In Ballyshannon, independent candidate Valerie McNulty has announced she will run and Cyril Brennan has been selected as a People Before Profit candidate.
Former Fianna Fáil Ballyshannon town councillor Billy Grimes is also seen as a possible candidate.
In Bundoran, a field could include former town councillors Philip McGlynn (FF) and Michael McMahon (SF).
In the Glenties Municipal District nominations for the Fianna Fáil selection convention will close on Monday.
Ardara
Donegal All-Ireland captain Anthony Molloy, from Ardara, is putting his name forward to run for the party. Sitting councillors, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Seamus Ó Domhnaill, and Enda Bonner, are expected to run.
Ardara-based Fine Gael councillor Terence Slowey has announced he is stepping down but local man Eamonn Byrne is running for the party. Independent candidate Liam Whyte, who is based in Ardara, has announced he will be contesting a seat.