"Voting confusion" leads to Cooney omission

'Immediate steps' are to be taken to reinstate Mullingar"s Cllr. Fintan Cooney as a candidate for the forthcoming elections, after the experienced councillor failed to be selected at the party"s Mullingar West convention.For the second consecutive selection convention, Cllr. Cooney - despite being one of Fine Gael"s primary vote getter in Mullingar West - fell at the first hurdle after what has been described as 'voting confusion' arising from a party HQ directive, which meant that one candidate was automatically selected.As a result, only two candidates, Chris Murtagh of Ballynacargy and John Casey from the Mullingar branch, were selected to run for the council elections in June.However, emergency moves are afoot to add Cllr. Cooney - a popular Mullingar vet and brother of former TD, MEP and minister, the late Paddy Cooney - to the ticket.'It would be unthinkable for Fine Gael to contest the election without Cllr. Cooney, who has a proven track record,' said Milltownpass man John Delamere, Chairman of Fine Gael"s National Executive, and the party"s Director of Elections in Westmeath. 'Immediate steps will be undertaken at Fine Gael headquarters to rectify this situation.'However, the voting gaffe has led Fine Gael into a situation where they will run three candidates in Mullingar West, and with the party facing the prospect of splitting its vote in the ward, Mr. Delamere described the scenario as 'not ideal'.The two candidates who will run alongside Cllr. Cooney in June are both well-known party activists in Mullingar. Chris Murtagh is an organic farmer and a member of the Ballynacargy branch, and also chairs the Westmeath County Childcare Committee; while John Casey is a farmer from Tullaniskey, Mullingar.Meanwhile, FG has reacted to Mullingar town councillor Pat Whelan"s recent decision to retire from politics by naming two new candidates for the town council elections. Joining Ruth Illingworth and Peter Burke on the ticket will be former local election candidate Graham Temple, and retired garda Pat Higgins.In Kilbeggan, incumbent members Michael Newman and Joe Flanagan were selected last weekend, while Rochfortbridge"s Colm Arthur will also run. The Coole area selection will be decided by February 12; Cllr. Frank McDermott and Multyfarnham"s Shay Boyhan have been confirmed as nominees, while a third candidate looks set to emerge in the Killucan-Raharney area over the coming weeks.