Constituency: Longford-Westmeath

Mullingar native Fidelma Bennett will be flying the Labour flag as the party looks to recoup the seat it lost at the 2020 general election following the retirement of Willie Penrose. Ms Bennett almost secured a seat on Westmeath County Council in the June local and European elections, securing over 500 first preference votes. With a background in homeless services, Ms Bennett boasts a long established background in education and local business while also having worked for several years with a local charity supporting women and children. Ms Bennett has set her electoral stall out on addressing the housing crisis, tackling an equally troublesome student accommodation dilemma and strengthening local mental health services.

Paul Bradley is a Psychotherapist based in Mullingar. He is among six Independent candidates who will be vying for one of the five seats that will be up for grabs in the newly enlarged Longford-Westmeath constituency when voters go to the polls on November 29.

Outgoing Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke has been viewed as being one of the rising stars of Fine Gael for some time. That belief has seen Mr Burke occupy junior ministries in both European Affairs and Defence as well as Local Government and Planning. In April, the chartered accountant was elevated by Taoiseach Simon Harris to the cabinet table and in so doing became the first Mullingar native to occupy such a position. Mr Burke’s manifesto details ambitions to provide more housing for first-time buyers, school and childcare places as well as addressing cost of living issues while strengthening the local jobs sector by delivering two advanced factory units at Marlinstown IDA park Mullingar.

Longford based candidate Barry Campion completes Sinn Féin’s party ticket in a constituency senior strategists believe could secure it two seats for the first time in its history. A key figure in the initiation of the Irish Red Cross in Longford, Mr Campion has resided in the midlands county for over a decade. A first time candidate in the June local and European elections, Mr Campion took in just over 250 first preference votes in the county’s Granard Local Electoral Area (LEA). The Kildare native has set his electoral stall out to home in on concerns linked to housing, cutting hospital waiting lists and promoting the need for infrastructural improvements, spearheaded by the long awaited upgrade of the N4 between Longford and Mullingar.

In her own words, “a proud Athlone native”, Tanya Cannon was added to the Fine Gael party ticket in October as part of its attempts to return three TDs in Longford-Westmeath’s new look five seat constituency. The local entrepreneur will be resting much of her aspirations on those strong business ties as well as similarly deep-rooted links to a variety of sports, voluntary and community initiatives. Among those include close ties with St Peter’s Football Club, Esker House and the RNLI. Ms Cannon will be looking to secure as many first preference votes as possible in the hope of benefitting from transfers that are likely to come her way from running mates Peter Burke and Micheál Carrigy.

Senator Michéal Carrigy will be hoping to make it second time lucky by taking a seat for Fine Gael at the upcoming general election. The Ballinalee postmaster narrowly missed out in 2020, but has been a prominent figure in the Seanad in the interim. The party’s Seanad Media Spokesperson has been a champion for enhanced funding for local newspapers and broadcast outlets, sports and community groups and infrastructural improvements to Longford and the wider constituency. Most recently, the former Longford County Council Cathaoirleach in his role as the former Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism, introduced the Autism Action and Oversight Bill 2024 in the Seanad. The proposed legislation aims to give legal effect to an Autism Innovation Strategy, ensuring a long-term, sustainable framework for supporting individuals with autism and their families.

The outgoing Sinn Féin TD was undoubtedly the surprise package of four years ago when the party’s unrelenting rise saw the Mullingar based politician top the poll in the most decisive of fashions. In doing so, she became first Sinn Féin TD to gain election in Longford/Westmeath since Ruairí O’Bradaigh in 1957. It was a noteworthy accomplishment given that just a matter of months before that, Ms Clarke lost her Westmeath County Council seat having received just over 500 votes. A qualified accountant by trade, the mother of four is the party’s current education spokesperson and has also spoken nationally on issues of domestic violence, access to affordable childcare, women's health issues, the plight of the State’s disability and mental health sectors.

Community activist Dympna Cunniffe is the third candidate Fianna Fáil have added to their general election team in the new, five-seat Longford-Westmeath constituency. The Mount Temple native has revealed housing, cost of living, support for small and medium enterprises, farmers and traffic management will be among her top priorities on the campaign trail. Her inclusion in joining sitting TDs Robert Troy and Joe Flaherty was given the unequivocal backing of party leader Micheál Martin. “Dympna has consistently delivered for her local community in many ways. She is an avid fundraiser, a hard worker, and I have no doubt that she would be an excellent representative in Dáil Éireann if elected.

Joe Flaherty will be hoping to retain the party’s Longford seat having fended off a fierce challenge from Fine Gael’s Micheál Carrigy last time out. The Lanesboro man previously served on Longford County Council and is a former newspaper editor. A regular contributor on the floor of the Dáil, Mr Flaherty has previously voiced his calls for enhanced business and farming supports, greater investment in both the Gardaí and law enforcement as well as the regeneration of Longford town. The father of three has likewise adopted an equally robust stance in terms of ensuring the long protracted upgrade of a 52km section of the N4 between Mullingar and Longford is finally delivered.

Louise Heavin is eyeing re-writing the political history books for a second time when she stands before the electorate over the coming weeks. The Mount Temple native became Athlone’s first ever Green Party councillor in 2019, a feat she plans on bettering in the 2024 general election. Having lost her local authority seat in June, the mother of two disclosed in September of her plans to stand as an Independent candidate. An architect by profession, Ms Heavin has set her sights on using that know-how, together with her other interests in sustainable development, and public service to address the ongoing housing crisis and become a “new voice” for the people of Longford Westmeath.

A local politician with two decades of service behind him, Paul Hogan is no stranger to general election campaigns having run in 2016, 2011 and 2007. That was under his former guise as a Sinn Féin elected representative before the university lecturer quit the party in 2018. He would go on to lose his council seat in 2019, but returned three years later when he was co-opted onto the local authority in 2022 following the resignation of Cllr Jamie Moran. First elected in 2004, Mr Hogan also holds down the enviable distinction of being the youngest ever Mayor of Athlone.

A candidate who contested his first general election in 2011, business consultant Donal Jackson is looking to make that experience count on the campaign trail over the coming weeks. And with a political slogan of: “Don’t believe the false promises of left wing parties”, he has compiled a manifesto he hopes will offer a dependable alternative to voters. Among them are headline issues such as improving health services, introducing a generational led mortgage/pension scheme to address the country’s housing ills and promoting an inclusive educational system that accommodates the diverse needs of students. Mr Jackson, who contested the 2020 general election, will be hoping to better the 71 first preference votes he secured last time out when voters go to the polls later this month.

Independent candidate Charlotte Keenan is another new face to be added to Longford-Westmeath general election shake-up. The Castletown-Geoghegan hopeful is, however, no stranger to political campaigns, having run in the Midlands North-West constituency during June’s European election. A farmer and sports psychologist by profession, Ms Keenan secured 1,102 first preferences on that occasion before bowing out ahead of the second count.

A co-founder of Ireland First, a centre-right nationalist party, Margaret Alacoque Maguire serves as its vice president. Born in Mullingar, Ms Alacoque Maguire spent most of her life in the UK and is a self-employed businesswoman. In her profile carried on Ireland First’s homepage, Ms Alacoque Maguire says her “unwavering” commitment to Ireland, together with a desire to devise “sensible policies” with a “strong leader” at its helm were the chief driving factors in her co-establishment of a party with Cork native and president Derek Blighe. In doing so, she has devised a lengthy manifesto, headed by desires to underpin increased housing rights for Irish citizens, community regeneration and economic stability, healthcare reform as well as balanced immigration among others.

A former Minister of State with the Office of Public Works (OPW), Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran is vying to return to the national political fold after losing his Dáil seat at the 2020 general election. It was arguably one of the last general election’s biggest shocks, while his own bid to replace the seat vacated by his son, Jamie on Westmeath County Council less than two years later, also came up short. However, the taxi driver could not have made a more resounding return to the local political scene in June when securing almost 3,800 first preferences in the Athlone electoral area. The 57-year-old is expected to focus much of his efforts on bolstering that figure by ensuring Athlone’s four year national political hiatus comes to an end over the coming weeks.

Having taken in over 300 first preferences in the Kinnegad Local Electoral Area (LEA) in June, Laura O’Neill has spent the past two years working alongside party leader Peadar Tóibín in the party’s constituency office in Delvin. The parish youth worker is focusing her efforts on transferring that experience to the ballot box over the days and weeks ahead as she vies for one of the constituency’s five seats. An avid supporter of the independent craft community in Westmeath, Ms O’Neill has spoken previously of her desire to advocate for greater public transport services and underpinning local healthcare services. A keen promoter of mental health and community services, Ms O’Neill previously studied creative photography, receiving a scholarship along the way.

Retail worker Carol Okeke is setting her sights on becoming Longford-Westmeath’s very first Green Party TD. The mother of four has been put forward to challenge for one of the constituency’s five seats. Ms Okeke stood in for party colleague and former Cllr Hazel Smyth while the Mullingar based local politician went on maternity leave at the beginning of March. Despite coming up short in her own attempts to secure election in the Kinnegad Local Electoral Area in June, Ms Okeke is hoping her educational and professional experiences will stand her in good stead come polling day.

A local election candidate in June, political activist Dave Smyth is putting his name on a general election ballot paper for the very first time. The father of three, is no stranger to a political arena and more specifically a People Before Profit (PBP) party he has been a member of for the best part of a decade. A broadcast engineer by profession, the Newtownforbes based father of three has been a long time critic of a political system he believes has toiled under ever growing red tape and bureaucracy. "Whether it’s hospital waiting lists, education needs, the manufactured housing crisis, the lack of investment in our area, the plight of Palestinians, the rising attacks on refugees and other minority groups or the seemingly never ending wealth divide in our society, I have solutions and I have no fear factor,” he said. "I want to do what Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael never do – properly represent ordinary people here in Longford and Westmeath. It is possible and it can be done.”

A former minister of state, Robert Troy has been one of Fianna Fáil’s chief vote getters since being first elected to the Dáil in 2011. The Ballynacargy native has held a number of portfolios in that time ranging from arts and heritage to transport, tourism and sport. Mr Troy also served as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment before stepping down from that role in August 2022 in the wake of a political storm about his property interests. That said, Fianna Fáil chiefs are pinning their hopes on Troy once again pulling in enough votes to lead the party’s charge in retaining its current two seat complement in the constituency.

Gerry Warnock is a former long serving Longford county councillor who announced earlier this year of his intention to step away from local politics and seek election to the Dáil. With over 13 years of local authority service as an Independent under his belt, the father of two is a former Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council. Mr Warnock has also previously served as chairperson of Longford’s former Joint Policing Committtee (JPC) and is a current serving employee of the local authority. Among the issues Mr Warnock is running his campaign on are local authority led social and affordable housing, strengthening policing resources and increasing garda numbers, further investment in sports and recreational infrastructure and a revival of the local tourism industry alongside supports for the food and drinks sector.