Councillors should not be 'daydreaming' about Dáil
Cllr Michael Burke pictured with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during the Taoiseach's recent visit to Ballinrobe. Picture: Trish Forde
Long-serving Ballinrobe-based Fine Gael Cllr Michael Burke has welcomed the Electoral Commission's recommendation to return the areas of South Mayo previously part of the Galway West constituency to Mayo.
Speaking on Wednesday following the publication of the Commission's review, Cllr Burke said: "All these areas are part of the old rural Ballinrobe Electoral division so I am delighted that they will be back in the Mayo constituency where they always should have been. The areas include Cong, Dalgan, Houndswood, Kilmaine, The Neale and Shrule, which are just a few minutes out the road from Ballinrobe but were being represented by Dáil deputies elected in Galway.”
Cllr Burke also expressed delight that Mayo is being returned to a five-seat constituency.
"I will be delighted to be able to work with the Mayo TDs from my party in providing the best representation for South Mayo.”
When asked on local radio would he be a candidate for the Dáil in the next election Cllr Burke said he’d never rule anything in or out but added that he has a local election next year and that’s the only election on his mind.
“I was elected as a local representative for the people of Ballinrobe and South Mayo and being a local representative is what I’m focused on. I can say that I have not given any thought at all to a role in national politics as I’ve always felt Mayo has been represented very well on the national stage with the TDs we have from my party.
"I also believe that if somebody wants to run for the Dáil I think they should go and run for the Dáil and not be playing a game running for the County Council just to get their name out in front of the public, I don’t think anybody would make a very good county councillor if they spend half their days daydreaming of being a TD.”
