Louth Cathaoirleach reflects on challenging election amid shift toward major parties

Kevin Callan spoke to the Dundalk Democrat after being eliminated on count 19 of the vote.

“It’s my second general election. It was a long campaign from the local elections during the summer. We all knew an election was coming. I’ve put everything forward that I can. I wanted to give the people in the constituency an option of a viable option for an independent who has experience and credibility in getting things done.

“I think people have moved towards the main parties in particular Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Labour in the county.

“I’m very grateful for the people who did vote for me and those who gave me a preference as well because it’s a positive as an independent every vote you get, it’s a positive base to start from.

“I wish the TDs the very best of luck. As chairman of the county council, I’m just going to continue on with my work for the county at local level.”

Asked if the large number of independents may have fractured his vote, he said:

“I think it’s strange in Louth that we had 24 on the ballot paper. In terms of independents who are on it, I suppose I was putting myself forward as someone who was fifteen years on the council and has been mayor of Drogheda three times and cathaoirleach as well.

“If I’m being honest, I think people’s concern is the national and the global; they were zoning in on which party they wanted to support and then independents possibly got a preference after that. I think people are concerned with the cost of living, the global situation and this was a very different election to the one I was in eight years ago.”