'Labour needs to be more ambitious in Limerick'

LABOUR councillor Joe Leddin says his party needs to be “more ambitious” when it comes to running candidates in the local elections.

“We need to be running two candidates in seven seaters. We need to be getting second seats. And we need to be looking at West Limerick which has always been a challenge in terms of electing people,” said the City West member.

He was speaking after his party colleague Conor Sheehan took the final seat at the General Election, becoming the latest Labour TD to represent Limerick City.

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With support for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael dropping, and backing for smaller parties and Independents on the rise, Cllr Leddin believes people now vote for the candidate, rather than the party.

“If you identify good candidates who do the work on the ground, and engage with communities, then they will be elected. Whether it's Labour or any other party, people will respond and support you,” said Cllr Leddin, who has represented the city since 1999.

The focus for Labour in Limerick will soon switch back to co-opting a new member to take Mr Sheehan’s seat in City North.

This is because a TD cannot be a councillor at the same time.

“We’ll have to be very strategic in the sense of whoever is selected, particularly from the point of view of geography, they will be living in City North, and have an affiliation with the Labour party's values,” he said.

Cllr Leddin praised his party colleague, saying: “We are very fortunate to have an amazing candidate in Conor. He's young, he’s educated, he’s articulate. He has a lovely warm and engaging personality. And across the political spectrum, he is universally liked. People have great respect and admiration for him.”

He admitted party members locally “are still pinching themselves” with the result.

“But nothing happens in a vacuum. This is as a result of hard work,” he added.