The constituency of Galway West must be central to a Fianna Fáil internal double review on its disastrous presidential campaign, and how it ran last November’s general election.
That is the message from the constituency’s Fianna Fáil TD, John Connolly, who says his “paranoia” about the leadership of Micheál Martin favouring his running mate, Gráinne Seoige, during last year’s election to replace Éamon Ó Cuív, has been borne out by Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO ) figures published this week.
SIPO data analysed by the Irish Independent shows first-time candidate, Seoige, received €6,100 more in financial support from Fianna Fáil, than the former Galway city councillor did.
Connolly said he was surprised by the SIPO figures, showing his party HQ spent €14,059 on Seoige, compared to €8,414 on him.
“All throughout the campaign, I had this sense that HQ were favouring Gráinne. For example, I know HQ paid for her posters to be put up; I had volunteers do mine. It’s stark enough when you see the difference is six thousand euro.”
Connolly received 12 per cent of first preferences in Galway West, second only to Sinn Féin’s Mairead Farrell, on almost 14 per cent. Seoige received five per cent of first preferences, although she transferred well to Connolly when eliminated after the ninth count, in a 17 horse race.
Ms Seoige did not respond to calls from the Galway Advertiser.
“I think this does ask serious questions of Fianna Fáil, and how the party is being run. We had a five-hour meeting [two weeks ago] to agree a review of the [Jim] Gavin presidential campaign, but in last week’s meeting, we also agreed to review the November general election.
“It’s such a shame that there is such a difference between the views locally, and those of headquarters in Dublin. There seems to have been other constituencies with a similar problem, where one candidate is favoured centrally, and that has to be addressed in this review,” he said.
“I always knew that the local Fianna Fáil organisation in Galway had confidence in me. To be honest, I wouldn’t have gone into the contest, and I wouldn’t have been successful, without them.”
He added: “Everyone has to be given a fair crack of the whip.”
