Fine Gael councillor to seek party candidacy for directly elected mayor

COUNCILLOR Daniel Butler is seeking to be Fine Gael’s candidate to contest the Limerick Mayoral election.

An election for Limerick’s first directly elected mayor will be held on June 7 in both the Limerick City and Limerick County constituencies.

Speaking in advance of Fine Gael’s selection convention in the Limerick Racecourse on Friday night, Cllr Butler said: “I am very keen to be Fine Gael’s candidate for Limerick’s first Directly Elected Mayor. It would be an honour to be selected by my party to contest this historical position.

“This election of a Directly Elected Mayor to represent all of Limerick is a huge opportunity to drive an agenda that puts Limerick first.

“That is an agenda that I believe I am, with your support, best able to achieve. As Mayor, I will work hard and fight for everyone in the city and the county – rural and urban, and everyone in between – a Limerick Mayor for all.

“There is no place like Limerick. I have the energy, the experience and the enthusiasm for this job and I look forward to the opportunity to represent Fine Gael in this key election for Limerick.”

The selection convention tomorrow evening will be attended by Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris.

Former Fine Gael leader and Minister Michael Noonan said: “Daniel will make a fine Mayor for all of Limerick. He has worked tirelessly as a councilllor since he was first elected in 2014 and made a fine Mayor of Limerick in 2021/22 as the entire region battled to come out of Covid and the challenges it presented.

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“Limerick needs strong public representatives, and I can think of nobody better than Cllr Daniel Butler to serve as the very first Directly Elected Mayor of Limerick.

“During his term as Mayor, Daniel Butler showed his ability to work with all side of the elected council and I believe that this ability will be very important when the Directly Elected Mayor takes office.

“Fine Gael were the only party to seek support for Directly Elected Mayor for Limerick in a public plebiscite in 2019 and Limerick’s electorate supported it.

“Should Daniel be nominated at tomorrow night’s Fine Gael’s selection convention, to be the party’s representative, I am asking all to get out and vote for Daniel Butler on June 7th.”