Gloves are off as Dáil race begins

The race is on and the gloves are off as local candidates prepare for the general election, announced yesterday (Tuesday) after Taoiseach Brian Cowen asked President Mary McAleese to dissolve the Dáil. True to his name Cllr Kevin 'Boxer' Moran came out fighting this week, saying Athlone would have a TD after the election and that TD would be him. The councillor resigned from Fianna Fáil last month and is contesting the general election as an Independent candidate. He said the biggest issues he has been hearing about on the doorsteps were job cuts, people being forced to emigrate, cuts to carers allowances and special needs allowance hours in schools and lack of infrastructure. The councillor said that if he is elected he would not become 'Independent Fianna Fáil' but will instead work with the independent alliance group to get speaking time in the Dáil. And while Cllr Moran has said he would be Athlone's next TD, Fine Gael's Senator Nicky McFadden was not quite as outspoken on her chances. When asked if she was confident of taking a seat in the Dáil, the Athlone Senator replied: “No, I'm not confident. I wouldn't be that arrogant. It's in the hands of the electorate. But, having said that, I've been getting a positive response so far. I'm better known in the Kilbeggan area than I was in the past, so that's encouraging.†Senator McFadden said she started canvassing three weeks ago and has since been to Tang, Ballymore, Kilbeggan, Castletown Geoghegan and parts of Athlone. She said she is hoping to organise an official launch of her election campaign over the next week or so. The Athlone senator also said she hadn't been paying attention to the bookies odds, even though she was tipped to take a seat. And Fianna Fáil TD Mary O'Rourke has also said this week she had not been paying attention to the odds. “I haven't been following the odds, I don't go backing horses,†she said. “I've just been so busy canvassing.†The Athlone deputy has issued a debate challenge to all of the candidates in the constituency and has urged local media, both print and radio, to come together to work out the format. Deputy O'Rourke said: “Why should Dublin be the decider on this debate issue… let's have local democracy in action.†Sinn Féin's Cllr Paul Hogan could not be contacted on Tuesday for comment.