Musical chairs in Donegal NE

If today’s Irish Times (subs. req’d) is correct, we should get confirmation of Mick’s story from a few weeks ago: that the Donegal North East merger of Fianna Fail and Independent Fianna Fail is going ahead, but only with an understanding from the fabled “grassroots” that a Letterkenny candidate must be on the ticket.

In particular, the retired Jim McDaid has made clear that he’ll unretire in the absence of a town candidate.  There’s still the mystery about what’s in it for FF.  As the IT puts it:

Mr Blaney, who is Independent Fianna Fáil, and Fianna Fáil TDs Dr Jim McDaid and Cecilia Keaveney, currently hold the three seats in the constituency. In effect, it has given Fianna Fáil three seats in Donegal North East, because Mr Blaney always votes with the Government.

With the merger, they lose this product differentiation and enhance the risk of a squeeze from FG or SF.  Incidentally, while not mentioned as the front runner for the Letterkenny slot, occasional Irish Election contributor Damien Blake is given a mention by the IT.   The IT also mentions the risk that some irreconciliable Blaneyites could migrate to Sinn Fein.