Outgoing Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey ‘has a future in politics’, says Simon Coveney
According to Mr Coveney, Mr Markey also agrees with the party’s decision to run jockey Nina Carbery in the Midlands-North West constituency. Ms Carbery and MEP Maria Walsh were selected as the party’s candidates for the five-seat constituency at an event in Athlone on Sunday, but Mr Markey had on Saturday withdrawn from the race, saying that the party’s most viable path to winning two seats in the election in June is with two candidates.
However, Mr Markey is believed to be likely to contest the next general election in his home county of Louth, where sitting Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd has announced he will not run again. In his statement on Saturday, Mr Markey hinted at that prospect, saying: My focus will return to my home county of Louth and in particular Drogheda, which has faced particular challenges in recent months and years, I want to play a central role in tackling these issues and working closely with Fergus O’Dowd TD to carry on work he has completed over the last 22 years.
At the selection convention on Sunday, Mr Coveney said that Mr Markey had been remarkably helpful throughout the process of candidate selection.
Colm has a future in politics. He will, I suspect, run for the Dáil in Louth and I wish him well for that. So he’s going to very much be a part of the future.
But he made a decision to stand back and allow this fantastic new person who has proven herself in life, in sport, in business to now prove herself in politics.
Ms Walsh said that she was delighted to have Ms Carbery on the ticket, while the former Dancing With The Stars winner Ms Carbery said she was looking forward to a big challenge.
