Fianna Fail hit by Noel Treacy retirement

By TOM GILMORE WITH the retirement of Fianna Fail's Noel Treacy in Galway East, due to medical reasons, the party has a fight on its hands if it hopes to hold on to its two seats in this constituency in next month's general election. After undergoing surgery last year Deputy Treacy started on medical treatment earlier this month and his doctors told him that he is unfit for the rigours of contesting a general election. After a meeting with family, friends and some close political supporters in his home on Tuesday night, Deputy Treacy accepted that he must heed the advice of his medical team and step down. It is understood that Deputy Treacy was very emotional about having to make this decision. However, he says that he will be present at the Fianna Fail selection convention in The Temperance Hall, Loughrea on Sunday evening. It is expected that as many as nine candidates' names may be put forward at the convention. Sitting TD Michael Kitt is now the only outgoing TD hoping to be to be in the race in the Galway East constituency this time. Fianna Fail activists claim the party can hold its two seats in this constituency if strong candidates are picked at its convention in Loughrea . Many would disagree with their optimism, in the face of disastrous national polls and the events of the past week, as well as the loss of Noel Treacy from the ticket. But Galway East has been a traditional stronghold for Fianna Fail and it will be interesting to see how strong a team the party will field after Sunday's selection convention. Deputy Michael Kitt, never one to be too bullish in his predictions, said he was 'hopeful' of being selected and he added that he expects it to be a 'tightly contested' convention in the Temperance Hall. Other names mentioned as possible contenders include Moylough's Cllr Michael Connolly, Caherlistrane's Cllr Mary Hoade and Monivea resident Michael F Dolan, who is an accountant in Loughrea. Cllr Connolly confirmed to The Tuam Herald that he is going forward and he says that he is well positioned in the centre of the constituency. 'I am hopeful of a nomination this time out,' says Cllr Connolly who added that he outpolled former Deputy Joe Callanan at the selection convention prior to the last general election convention. 'But on that occasion I was beaten when the surplus votes from Deputies Kitt and Treacy went to Joe Callanan. 'After my first six months on Galway Co Council I gave up my other job to become a full-time politician. Having been re-elected last time and worked hard on many projects I feel I have served my apprenticeship,' says Cllr Connolly. Cllr Mary Hoade, who has also been nominated, says she will decide within the next few days if she will be a contestant at the convention. 'I will be meeting with my supporters, probably this Thursday, and that is when I will make my mind up,' she added. But Monivea resident, and Loughrea-based accountant, Michael F Dolan has confirmed that he is letting his name go forward. 'In light of Noel Treacy's retirement I am going to contest for a place on the party ticket. I would not have done so if he was still standing for re-election. 'But the reaction I'm getting is that people are looking for a new face and as I was the election agent for the three candidates during the last two general elections I am aware of what is involved.  In the current economic climate, not alone here but abroad, it is probably no harm to have an accountant's qualification,' he quipped. He is in his mid-40s and set up his accountancy practice in Loughrea over 25 years ago. It has also been mentioned that some Fianna Fail supporters were interested in asking former Deputy Joe Callanan to make a comeback, but he is unlikely to do so. Other names mentioned as possible contenders at the convention include Cllr Tomas Mannion and former Mayor of Co Galway Michael Regan who lost his council seat in the last election. It is expected that the Fianna Fail convention will select a maximum of three for the ticket, but the party might go for a two-candidate strategy. Deputy Treacy informed the local organisation, the party headquarters in Dublin and his colleagues in the parliamentary party, yesterday (Tuesday) that he is unable to contest the election due to illness. It is public knowledge that Deputy Treacy has been under medical care for the past year. â€â€šHe underwent surgery last summer and commenced treatment earlier this month. This therapy will continue throughout February and into March. After detailed discussions with his medical team, he has been advised that he cannot fight a general election campaign during his treatment. 'I do this with a great sense of regret and reluctance as all of the expectations were that the general election would not happen before 2012. 'I was looking forward to being fully fit by then, but it would be unfair to the Fianna Fáil Party, who have consistently nominated me, and the people of Galway East who have consistently elected me for three decades, to enter an election campaign in which I could not actively participate on a daily basis,' he said. Deputy Treacy was first elected in a by-election in 1982 and he served as a Minister of State in a number of different departments on the occasions that Fianna Fail was in power between 1983 and 2007. 'I wish to sincerely thank all of the officers, members and supporters of Fianna Fáil throughout Galway East for their steadfast loyalty to me, during ten different elections. â€â€šI look forward to meeting all of them at next Sunday's convention in Loughrea,' he concluded. Meanwhile other candidates who have also come from the Fianna Fail gene pool and who are set to contest in Galway East as independents include the former Mayor of Co Galway Cllr Sean Canney from Belclare. He was one of the people who masterminded the election of his brother-in-law Paddy McHugh to the Dail as an independent two general elections ago. Cllr Canney also topped the poll in the Tuam electoral area in the last Co Council elections. While Cllr Canney has confirmed that he is going forward another possible independent, who has not yet confirmed his intentions, is Kilconnell-based publican Cllr Timmy Broderick. He was also involved with Fianna Fail in the past as a supporter of former Deputy Joe Callanan before opting to contest, and win, a seat in Galway East in the last Co Council elections. It is also rumored that Cllr Michael Fahy is considering his options and may run as an independent. During his time in Fianna Fail he was a supporter of Deputy Noel Treacy. Meanwhile Sinn Fein has selected Ballinasloe area Co Cllr Dermot Connolly as its candidate in this area. He polled well in the last local elections and he has been very vocal on many issues on Galway Co Council.