Fine Gael aim to regain control of Council chamber

Fine Gael spoke determinedly of wrestling back control of the chamber in Mayo County Council at the party's local election campaign launch.

The party is running 15 candidates in Mayo this year and launched its campaign in the Michael Davitt Museum.

Candidates were joined by Deputies Michael Ring and Alan Dillon, MEP Maria Walsh, and Senator Paddy Burke.

Fine Gael produced a manifesto setting out its plans if the party regains the balance of power in Aras an Chontae.

"After 10 years of Independents and Fianna Fáil controlling Mayo County Council, we want to offer the people of Mayo something different," stated group whip Cllr Peter Flynn.

"We have identified the important things that need to be addressed - including more action from Mayo County Council on affordable housing, more investment from the council in local roads and better use of the people's money by Mayo County Council," the Westport councillor added.

Deputy whip, Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said the party boasts the biggest team of candidates in Mayo. He said their ambition is to take back control of the council chamber.

"Fine Gael has an impressive, diverse team of candiates, experienced, and young men and women, people living in rural areas and people living in our towns. We are running enough candidates to win outright control of Mayo County Council , and that is our goal. Then we will be able to implement the changes needed in Mayo," said Cllr Munnelly.

Fine Gael is running three candidates in the constituencies of Ballina (Jarlath Munnelly, John O'Hara, Hugh Rouse); Castlebar (Cyril Burke, Ger Deere, Donna Sheridan) and Claremorris (Michael Burke, Tom Connolly, Alma Gallagher). The party has adopted a two-candidate strategy in Belmullet/Achill (Pat Chambers and Gerry Coyle); Swinford (Neil Cruise and Antoinette Peyton); and Westport (Peter Flynn and Keira Keogh).