KILDARE GENERAL 01 February 2003: Kildare County Council will lose six very familiar faces over the next few months under legislation currently being prepared by the Government.
New rules that prohibit senators and TDs from holding local authority seats will mean that Jack Wall, John Dardis, Kathleen Walsh, Emmet Stagg, Sean O Fearghaill and Sean Power will no longer be able to remain members of Kildare County Council.
The rules could change any time between a couple of week and three months' time.
KNN understands that the legislation will simply say that current dual mandate members will not be allowed to contest the local elections due in less than two years.
But in practice, the Government parties - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats - will require their Oireachtas members to immediately vacate their seats on the councils and nominate replacement members.
And it would be foolhardy for members of other parties to hold onto their current local authority seats until the next election, as this would leave whoever wants to follow them without the opportunity to gain a profile before the elections.
Individual parties will hold nomination meetings to produce a replacement to be nominated by the exiting council members for their vacated seats.
Jockeying for position within the party machines is already under way. For instance, Naas town councillor Willie Callaghan (left) has already indicated to his party members that he is throwing his hat into the ring. Cllr Callaghan failed to be elected to Kildare County Council at the last election.
But he could possibly face competition from Paddy Behan, a former member of both Kildare County Council and of Naas Urban District Council, if Mr Behan was persuaded to contest the nomination process. KNN understands there is some support for this scenario.
The electoral areas affected are Athy, Kildare, Naas, and Celbridge.
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| Sean O Fearghaill TD |
Sean Power TD
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Emmett Stagg TD
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