Limerick councillor reveals switch to Fianna Fáil

COUNCILLOR Fergus Kilcoyne, who has represented the Limerick City West electoral area for the last five years, has officially joined Fianna Fail, Limerick Live can reveal.

Cllr Kilcoyne narrowly missed out on election in 2014 when he ran for Fine Gael. He subsequently left that party and was successfully elected as an Independent candidate in 2019.

Cllr Kilcoyne, based in Patrickswell, has now joined the Republican Party following an invitation from Minister of State Niall Collins, according to a statement issued to Limerick Live. 

Before making this political move, Cllr Kilcoyne held meetings with his supporters, canvassers, and "most importantly, his immediate family, who all expressed their support for his decision". He and his supporters believe that by joining Fianna Fáil, he can make "an even greater impact in the Patrickswell, Clarina, Mungret, Raheen, Dooradoyle, and city environs areas".

Cllr Kilcoyne would love to see more young people take up trades again because "we have a huge shortage of skilled labour - electricians, carpenters, tilers, plumbers, and more needs to be done to encourage careers in these areas".

He recently put down a motion advocating for the installation of sound barriers along the new railway line that runs through Dooradoyle and Patrickswell, connecting to Shannon Foynes Port. Cllr Kilcoyne (pictured below with Minister of State Jack Chambers) believes that this measure would help mitigate noise pollution for the residents in these areas.

He holds the belief that instead of dezoning residential lands in development plans across the country, these lands "should be left untouched, and where possible, expanded to accommodate further housing development".

He highlights the expansion of Raheen Industrial Estate, with companies like Eli Lilly, Regeneron, and Analog Devices creating job opportunities, along with the expansion of University Hospital Limerick.

"Given the limited availability of accommodation, Patrickswell, located just a few kilometers away, offers little relief to this growing problem. I find the current practice of dezoning land to be illogical in the face of such a housing shortage," said Cllr Kilcoyne, who is also advocating for additional sports and recreational facilities, as well as children's playgrounds, in built-up areas. 

Little girl welcomed home to Limerick after spending over 500 days at Crumlin Hospital

Away from political life, Cllr Kilcoyne is a passionate sports supporter. He is a member of Patrickswell GAA Club, avidly follows Limerick hurling and rugby, supporting both Munster and Ireland teams. He also enjoys attending race meetings on his doorstep in Patrickswell.
 
Cllr Kilcoyne and his wife Josephine have been involved in the tourism industry for many years, and they previously managed the Dark Horse public house in Patrickswell. Cllr Kilcoyne is also passionate about supporting young entrepreneurs and shares his own experiences to help and advise them in starting their own businesses.

By joining Fianna Fáil locally, Cllr Kilcoyne said he aims to enhance his productivity in serving the residents of the Limerick City West area with the support of Fianna Fáil ministers.