THE dealmaking process is in full swing among the political parties for the next mayoralty of Limerick, with a pact between Labour and Fine Gael a distinct possibility.
Among the favoured candidates on Monday, June 27, is Labour’s Gerry McLoughlin, who has yet to hold the honour.
Fine Gael hold eight seats, Labour four, Independent three, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail one each.
However, should Cllr Kevin Kiely, who quit the FG party to become an Independent, decide to row in behind his former party members, it would put them in a very strong position with nine votes, against a combined total of eight from the others.
Cllr Joe Leddin has confirmed to the Limerick Post of a likelihood of a pact arrangement emerging between Labour and Fine Gael.
“With their eight votes and our four, that would give us a majority of 12, and we would be putting forward Cllr Gerry McLoughlin for the mayoralty,” he said.
Cllr Jim Long is still the nominated FG candidate, and according to Kiely, the mayoralty is still very much up for grabs.
“More so this year than ever, other groupings are being formed -it won’t be a foregone conclusion,”: he said..
A Fine Gael contact told the Limerick Post: “If we agreed to give Kevin Kiely deputy Mayor this time, he will want something else the next year. Jim Long is willing to give him deputy Mayor in 2012, but it is not in his gift to do so – that’s a party decision”.
The same source commented: “Fine Gael and Labour will be meeting shortly – Labour is looking for a lot – the mayoralty this year, representation on the Shannon Foynes Port Company and the City Development Board and other memberships – there’s an unprecedented level of talks going on across the parties and I can tell you that there’s more voices in Fine Gael looking for alternatives, than was thought”.
