Heavin 'very interested' in new Dáil bid

Cllr Louise Heavin created a bit of political history in June of last year when she became the first Green Party Mayor of the Athlone-Moate Municipal District.

As well as being the chosen Green Party candidate to contest the forthcoming local elections – the uncontested selection convention took place some months ago – Louise Heavin also harbours strong ambitions of becoming a TD for the Longford Westmeath constituency and says she is “very interested” in putting her name forward for selection for the next Dáil.

“Athlone needs a TD, and we need someone who is from the town who will be a strong voice to advocate on behalf of the area,” she says, “and I would be very interested in being that voice”.

She feels that Athlone, as one of the largest regional towns in the country, suffers from “a real deficit” by not having political representation on the national stage, and she would very much welcome the opportunity to represent the Green Party in the next General Election.

“I will indeed be putting my name forward if, and when, the selection convention takes place. I did it before and I'll do it again,” she says, referring to her bid to win a Dail seat for the Green Party in the 2020 General Election.

She admits that she is “hopeful” of retaining her seat on Westmeath County Council in the upcoming local elections, which are due to take place in June of this year. “I am one of the only people highlighting the green agenda on the Athlone Moate Municipal District, so I would be hopeful that this will stand to me in the local elections."

Nevertheless, she acknowledges the difficulties facing the Green Party given that it is a member of a three-party Coalition government. “You just never know what the turnout is going to be like on voting day or what way people are going to vote, but I would always be hopeful,” she says.

With two elected councillors in Westmeath (Cllr Hazel Smyth is in Mullingar), Cllr Heavin says the Green Party would be interested in adding to that tally by running a candidate in the Moate electoral area, and would also like to see a candidate coming forward from the South Roscommon area.

“We don't have anybody in mind in either area at the moment, but we would certainly be very interested in talking to people and if the right candidate come along then we think we can expand our representation locally,” she says.

For the first time in its history, the Green Party took two seats on Westmeath County Council in the 2019 local elections, when Cllrs Heavin and Smyth were elected in the Athlone and Mullingar electoral areas, respectively.

Councillor Louise Heavin filled the fifth and final seat in the Athlone electoral area and was elected on the 8th count with 593 votes.

The quota on that occasionwas 1,423, and the only sitting councillor to reach the quota was Fianna Fáil Cllr Frankie Keena with 1,584 votes.