Louth's Breathnach to launch bid for Seanad

Louth Fianna Fáil representative Declan Breathnach has revealed that he will be launching a bid for the Seanad 2020 General Election, and is currently working on getting nominated for the ballot, with papers set to be issued on March 16. 

Mr Breathnach, who lost his Dáil seat in the recent general election, told the  Democrat that he is launching his bid for a number of reasons, but the number one reason he says, is that “Louth needs a strong Fianna Fáil representation in the Oireachtas.”

“I’m not a quitter, anybody who knows me, knows that when I put an effort into anything, whether it’s political or community, that I will give it my all, and I don’t think my career in politics is over”, Mr Breathnach explained.

“I think, probably as important as all of that, I will not let down my supporters, which are a considerable number, along with my large team of 50 people who have been out taking down [general election] posters over the last number of days. 

“I think I have major contributions to give in relation to decisions that will be made regarding North/South and Brexit issues.

“My son summed it up for me the day after the election. He rang me and he said: ‘Dad, you have a huge skill mix that  should not be put out to grass’.”

The Knockbridge man alluded to the speech he gave at the general election count centre last week, when he spoke of the spirit of collegiality in which he always strove to work. 

“If I was lucky enough to get elected to the Oireachtas, it would be another person who can work in that spirit of collegiality for the people of the constituency,” he pledged.

There are two ways for candidates to be nominated to the vocational panels for the Seanad elections. They can be nominated to the vocational panels by nominating bodies, or they can be nominated by members of the Oireachtas  (any four members of the newly elected Dáil or outgoing Seanad may nominate one candidate for any panel).

Ballot papers for the election of the vocational panels are issued on March 16, with polling closing on March 30 at 11am. The count begins shortly after polling closes.