A former Galway city mayor has appealed to Labour Party headquarters to "reconsider" its decision to run one candidate, Michael D Higgins, in Galway West in the next election. Mr Higgins, party president and foreign affairs spokesman, confirmed last week that he would seek a nomination to stand again in Galway West, where he is sitting TD.
There had been speculation that he might not stand for medical reasons, but he has recovered well from surgery last year.
Cllr Catherine Connolly (Lab) said she was very angry and disillusioned by the move to confine nominations to one candidate, and would stand in the next general election in any case.
The party is due to hold its selection convention in Galway West shortly and she said it had made it very clear to her that two candidates would not be an option.
Mr Higgins said the issue was one for the national organisation and its members, and any party member was free to be nominated. The party had not run two candidates in the constituency since 1969, when he stood first, he said.
Cllr Connolly said the party should be building on its success in the 2004 local elections, when Labour elected four of 15 city councillors.
In the 2002 general election, Mr Higgins won 5,213 first preferences and was elected with transfers on the fourth count to Galway West.
Fianna Fáil, which holds two of the constituency's five seats, is determined to regain a third seat, while Green Party councillor Niall Ó Brolcháin is also a contender. Sinn Féin councillor Daniel Callanan will not stand. Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats hold a seat each.
