Election 2024Constituency Profile

Cork South-Central constituency profile: Battle for fifth seat is wide open

Micheál Martin’s stomping ground has long been seen as a bellwether reflecting national trends

Cork South Central Constituency map
Election 2024: Simon Coveney will be a major loss for Fine Gael in the Cork South-Central race
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Jennifer Bray
Thu Nov 07 2024 - 12:14

Outgoing TDs: Simon Coveney (FG – retiring), Micheál Martin (FF), Michael McGrath (FF – EU commissioner from November), Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (SF)

Who are the Cork South-Central candidates?: Deputy Micheál Martin (FF), Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (SF), Senator Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cllr Séamus McGrath (FF), Cllr Úna McCarthy (FG), Cllr Shane O’Callaghan (FG), Cllr Laura Harmon (Lab), Cllr Pádraig Rice (SD), Mick Finn (Ind), Anna Daly (Aon), Monica Peres Oikeh (GP), Michelle Cowhey Shahid (SF), Shane Laird (PBP), Margaret Kenneally (FF), Veronica Houlihan (II), Ted Neville (NP)

Sinn Féin’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire topped the poll in 2020 and for some time the party was hesitant about adding a second candidate in a constituency that has consistently returned two Fianna Fáil representatives. Sinn Féin has had a troubled few months and took some time to carefully consider all the options in what has long been viewed as a bellwether constituency that reflects the national trends. In the end, Sinn Féin decided to run a second candidate, Michelle Cowhey Shahid, an activist who lost out on a seat in June’s local elections.

Meanwhile, Simon Coveney will be a big loss for Fine Gael. He has been a TD in Cork South-Central since 1998 except for when he spent three years as an MEP between 2004 and 2007.

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High-profile candidates Senator Jerry Buttimer, Cllr Des Cahill and former MEP candidate John Mullins had put themselves forward as contenders to be selected for the ballot but were unsuccessful at first – although Buttimer was later added to the ticket.

Fine Gael took a combined 21 per cent of the first-preference vote last time, and this time they’ll be fishing for the same votes as their Coalition partners in Fianna Fáil.

For Labour, the Social Democrats and Aontú, the last general election in Cork South-Central proved a disappointing affair, with each polling less than 3 per cent of first preferences, while Independents also fared badly in the highly competitive constituency. But a fifth seat is now there for the taking. For Fianna Fáil, a seat for Micheál Martin is nailed on.

Fianna Fáil are confident of a second seat in Cork South-Central, with Michael McGrath potentially replaced by his brother Seamus, leader of the Fianna Fáil group in Cork County Council.

In fact, Séamus McGrath took the highest number of first preferences of any local candidate in the country – storming home with 5,191 votes.

The party is especially confident given it took a combined first preference of 35 per cent in the 2020 general election.

That extra fifth seat is wide open, with candidates across the spectrum battling it out. Former lord mayor Mick Finn will run as an Independent and has momentum behind him, while the Labour Party has picked first-time councillor Laura Harmon. The Social Democrats will also run first-time candidate Pádraig Rice while Dr Monica Peres Oikeh will run for the Green Party.

The Electoral Commission recommended moving areas south of the river Lee hitherto under Cork North Central, such as Bishopstown, to Cork South Central. Cork South Central has gained 12 voting districts in all.

Possible outcome: Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (1), Sinn Féin (1), Independent (1)