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Thomas Byrne to run for MEP
Read more about: Connaught-Ulster, Fianna Fail, Irish Election, Leinster 
Update: According to Breaking News, Pat ‘the cope’ Gallagher will be approached leaving Fianna Fail with a lopsided ticket geographically and Galway could now determine the compostion of the North&West’s seats.
According to Mark Hennessy Thomas Byrne, TD for Meath East is set to run as the second name on the Fianna Failure ticket. In the unlikely event of two FF seats or. Byrne overcoming Aylward we get another sticky by-election.
there is still no sign of a second name for the ballot over in the North and West with no new rumours either. It may be that come Monday the party of power will rely on Paschal Mooney to take the seat held by O’Neachtain.
That dilemma underlines the move made by Byrne, who has repeatedly batted for government in the past year and would have to expect a reward for loyalty and a good fight if he fails to get to Europe.
If he trumps Aylward all bets are off and the government faces a sticky by-election that might co-incide with a general election.
I am not sure. Why would one more byelection make a difference? Say lab/FG win the next 2. With the Greens they have 83 seats. Enough for an minority government. Throw in Finian McGrath and Michael Lowry. Clear majority. Even without the Greens SF + McGrath + Lowry is 83. Put Grealish in the Ceancorla (no Idea how to spell) seat 83 plays 82. Kenny is Taoiseach. First Act calls a general election.
wait my math is out the greens have to be incluced
Simon, the only way for that new government to come about is for the existing one to lose a no-confidence motion. If the Greens pull out then the motion would be out down and once it was lost Cowen would head to the Aras to request a dissolution of the Oireachtas. There is no way that McAleese would refuse this and instead seek for Kenny to form a government purely to then call a general election.
Fact is if the Greens pulled out then Cowen would go straight to the Aras.
If Byrne runs then he is very easily targeted as not committed to his area, and that charge won’t be coming from FG or Lab’s Dominic Hannigan as it will from Mary ‘Wednesday’ Wallace if FF are scraping to retain just the one seat next time out.
As it stands if Byrne runs and is elected then I suspect Hannigan to take the seat with FG in a strong 2nd on the 1st count. Surely FF should look to run someone now to succeed Alyward in 5 years time.