20 candidates for 5 seats in new look Longford Westmeath

"Reunited at last" remarked one voter in Delvin, Co Westmeath this week.

Since the last general election in 2020, there have been some changes in the Longford Westmeath constituency.

Population increases and the return of 19 electoral divisions from Meath West, mean it is now a five-seater.

Areas such as Castlepollard, Delvin, Collinstown and Clonmellon, have been voting in Meath West since 2007, but that's now changed.

With almost 10,000 votes up for grabs, this area has been a key hunting ground for candidates, particularly those from the Mullingar side of the constituency.

Where will the additional votes go? Well, there are a number of theories.

There is a view among some that there is a large Sinn Féin support base in the area and Johnny Guirke, Sinn Féin TD, had a strong support base in north Westmeath.

Damien English was also a TD covering this part of Westmeath, so you would expect the Fine Gael vote to transfer to some of three candidates running.

You would have to imagine Peter Burke is the most likely candidate to benefit.

This would also have been Donie Cassidy territory back in the day, so there has to be some benefit to Fianna Fáil anticipated.

So basically, it's anyone's guess!

Sinn Féin

In 2020 Sinn Féin's Sorca Clarke got 21% of first preferences and was elected on the first count and that was after a failing to retain her seat at the local elections in 2019.

She was one of several candidates across the country elected on the back of a surge towards the party in 2020.

Whether that surge is there this time, remains to be seen. The party did not have a good local election in Westmeath, but neither did it in 2019.

"I'm going into this election with the same attitude I had going into the last election. We are taking nothing for granted," said Ms Clarke while on the canvass of a housing estate in Mullingar.

It's a family affair. The Mullingar-based politician was accompanied door-to-door by party activists, but close by are her daughter Tia and eight-month-old grandson, Ruadhán.

"Housing and affordable housing, the cost of living and investment into the communities, they are the issues that keep coming up," she said.

"We are here to speak to people to convince them to vote for Sinn Féin, the exact same thing we did the last time," she said.

Fine Gael

After being at the centre of controversy at the start of the election campaign, Minister for Enterprise and Mullingar-based Fine Gael TD Peter Burke is keeping his head down and focusing on the bread-and-butter issues.

When we join him on a canvass in Delvin, Co Westmeath, he is fielding questions from a local shop owner about the rising cost of doing business in Ireland.

"We're employing nine staff and it's killing us," she told the him. Mr Burke is at pains to point out what Fine Gael has done to support business.

Since being appointed minister, Peter Burke's profile has grown significantly and that has to carry some weight at the polls.

The party will be hoping that Senator Micheál Carrigy will also win a seat. From Ballinalee in Co Longford, he was close last time, having secured 6,300 first preferences.

He is hoping his work locally and nationally on ensuring better supports for families with children who have autism will help get him across the line.

"I'm over 15 years involved in local politics and four-and-a-half years serving in the Seanad," he said.

"I believe I've the experience to represent Longford and to make a better and brighter future for all of us here in Longford," he said.

Asked whether he thinks two Fine Gael seats are possible, Micheál Carrigy is very clear.

"I'm very confident. Peter has done an excellent job in government, and I believe I can win a seat here in Longford," he said.

Fianna Fáil

Fianna Fáil has a similar plan, although they already secured two seats in 2020. Fianna Fáil's Robert Troy who is Mullingar-based and Joe Flaherty, who is from Longford, are running again.

They are joined by Dympna Cunniffe, who is based in Athlone.

Often times, Longford is seen as the poor relation to Mullingar and Athlone, when it comes to investment.

Crime has also been an ongoing issue in the town.

However, Joe Flaherty says the "building blocks" have been put in place and he believes more progress can be made to "reinstate Longford for what it is, a key town in the midlands".

"There will always be a number of people who capitalise on the downsides in Longford and on the negative stories and inflate their significance in the media, and that's unfortunate for us as a county, but we have to rise above that," he said.

County boundaries are key here and during a canvass in Longford Town, Joe Flaherty is fairly blunt when asked if there's a party strategy at play.

"When you come into an election, everybody's a sole trader and your sole objective is to ensure that you get elected.

"Robert stays in Westmeath and I stay in Longford," he said.

Boxer's Back?

This constituency could also see a political comeback, in the name of Kevin 'Boxer' Moran.

Last June, the former TD returned to local politics. He had a phenomenal local election result taking over 3,700 first preference votes, 40% of the vote in total.

The 57-year-old former OPW minister is now hoping for a return to Leinster House. At present there is no TD from Athlone.

"What you get with Boxer is hard work and I'll continue to do that as long as there's breath in my body," he said.

It's a cold and foggy evening when we meet Councillor Moran on a canvass close to where the OPW built a wall to protect homes from flooding.

"I suppose I'll always be known as the flood man," he laughs.

However, despite his work which at times saw him shoulder deep in flood water, the people of Longford Westmeath didn't return him as a TD last time round.

When asked why he thinks the people didn't back him, Cllr Moran is frank.

"There was a number of things, probably going into government," he said.

"Some people here in Athlone say I didn't support the army, but I always have and will continue to.

"Once you go into government there can be decisions you have to make that hurt you.

"You know when you are going into the Dáil that day and you have to press the buzzer to vote, that can affect you in your own constituency."

Immigration is now a huge issue in this part of the constituency. A plan to build a new facility to house an additional 1,000 asylum seekers has been met with major opposition. Protests are ongoing outside the Lissywollen site in Athlone.

Independent Ireland Councillor Paul Hogan, a former Sinn Féin councillor, is behind efforts to try halt work at the site and he will certainly gain votes on the back of this issue.

The upgrade of the N4 between Mullingar and Longford and much needed improvements to the N55 Longford to Athlone road are some of the transport issues that are also on voters' minds.

But ultimately it is the cost of living and housing that is driving conversation across the region.

Whatever twists and turns come between now and polling day, only five of the twenty candidates will be making the journey to Leinster House in December.

Twenty candidates have now declared in this constituency.

Fidelma Bennett, Labour

Paul Bradley, Independent

Peter Burke, Fine Gael

Barry Campion, Sinn Féin

Tanya Cannon, Fine Gael

Micheál Carrigy, Fine Gael

Sorca Clarke, Sinn Féin

Dympna Cunniffe, Fianna Fáil

Joe Flaherty, Fianna Fáil

Louise Heaven, Independent

Paul Hogan, Independent Ireland

Donal Jackson, Independent

Charlotte Keenan, Independent

Margaret 'Alacoque' Maguire, Ireland First

Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Independent

Carol Okeke, Green Party

Laura O'Neill, Aontú

Dave Smyth, People before Profit-Solidarity

Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil

Gerry Warnock, Independent