Labour picks team in Limerick city for next summer’s local election
LABOUR has named its local election candidates for Limerick’s metropolitan district area.
It’s a case of ‘as you were’ for the party, with the three outgoing councillors seeking re-election.
Councillor Conor Sheehan of Corbally is going forward in City North hoping for a second term, having first been elected in 2019.
Moldovan national Elena Secas, who is based in Castletroy, will be hoping for a third straight victory in City East.
She was first elected in 2014 and returned five years later.
Meanwhile, Labour’s standard bearer in City West, Councillor Joe Leddin will run again on his 25th anniversary in local politics.
Based near South Circular Road in the city, he was first elected in 1999 to the old City Council, retaining his seat in 2004 and 2009.
In 2014, he was elected to the newly amalgamated Limerick City and County Council and was returned five years on.
His is a well-known name in local politics.
Two of his late uncles, Tim and Frank Leddin both served on the old City Council and had terms as mayors, while his grand-uncle Michael Keyes was also first citizen and a senior government minister - the first person to be appointed to Cabinet from Limerick.
The trio were picked following a selection convention in the Shannon Rowing Club at Sarsfield Bridge in the city.
Early in the New Year, Labour will hold a separate convention to pick their candidate for the new position of Directly Elected Mayor, the election for which is expected on the same day as the locals next June.
Councillor Sheehan, who is his party’s group leader this year, said: “I will be fighting for every single vote between now and June to ensure that we return a strong Labour team to the new council to deliver the change we need.”
Councillor Leddin added: “I am delighted to be selected to contest my sixth local election and to continue in the long proud tradition of public service of the Leddin and Keyes family.”
And Councillor Secas concluded: “If re-elected next June, I will continue with the same commitment to champion local issues that matter to us, our families and our communities.”