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Luke 'Ming' Flanagan PA Archive/Press Association Images

Runners and riders: Here's who's vying to take Ming's old seat in the upcoming by-election

Turfcutter Michael Fitzmaurice is emerging as the Ming-backed candidate, while the main parties are also busy making preparations ahead of the contest…

THERE’S BEEN SOME action on the ground in Roscommon-South Leitrim in the last few weeks, as local politicians draw up their plans for the upcoming by-election and begin to compete to fill that Luke’ Ming’ Flanagan-shaped hole in Irish politics.

The outspoken Independent’s poll-topping performance in the European elections last May meant he automatically vacated his Dáil seat in the constituency.

That, of course, means a by-election’s on the way in the next few months — either shortly before or shortly after the mid-October budget.

As the Oireachtas observes its summer recess — speculation’s now gathering pace in the constituency on who’s likely to throw their hat in the ring, and whether a Ming-endorsed candidate will triumph…

The constituency

Roscommon-South Leitrim, a three seater-constituency, elected two Fine Gael candidates at the last general election, in addition to Ming.

One of those TDs has since parted company with the party however: Denis Naughten lost the whip in protest over the Government’s decision to close the Roscommon County Hospital Emergency Department just months after the coalition came to power.

In spite of having next-to-no chance of gaining the Flanagan seat, Fine Gael is still likely to run a candidate this time out, if only as a profile-raising exercise.

So who’s definitely running?

Ivan Connaughton, an Athleague-based councillor and auctioneer has been selected as the Fianna Fáil candidate.

Connaughton, who narrowly missed out on a seat in the 2011 general election, beat out competition from rival councillor Eugene Murphy at a selection convention last month.

 Ivan Connaughton/Twitter

So far, there’s just one other candidate definitely running: 22 year-old Strokestown-based Independent Emmett Corcoran. The young entrepreneur launched his campaign on social media this week.

Corcoran, who set up the wannawork.ie site in an effort to get people back to work, told Shannonside radio on Friday that his main focus would be securing jobs for rural areas of the constituency.

The almost definites…

Michael Fitzmaurice, the Chairman of campaign group the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association, has emerged as the Ming-endorsed candidate for the contest.

While his official line is that he expects “to make decision in the next few weeks” it’s considered all but certain his name will be on the ballot paper.

Fitzmaurice was recently elected as a councillor in Tuam — but that doesn’t necessarily mean campaigning in Roscommon-South Leitrim would hamper his long-term ambition of securing a Dáil seat: the area is to be absorbed into the new constituencies of Roscommon-Galway and Sligo-Leitrim at the next general election, so even a losing bid for the seat would help build a profile.

Michael Fitzmaurice [michaelfitzmaurice.ie]

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Fitzmaurice said that “in GAA, your ambition is always Croke Park — so in politics, of course my ambition would be for the Dáil”.

He insisted, however, he had yet to decide on whether to run this time out or wait for the next election.

The councillor said he had been in regular contact with Flangan since the MEP’s election to Brussels — while, for his part, Ming is on the record as saying he would relish the prospect of Fitzmaurice replacing him in the Dáil.

Elsewhere, former Mayor and Independent Roscommon Councillor Tom Crosby also says he’s giving a bid ‘serious consideration’. Officially, he says he’s meeting campaigners and making his mind up — but the general consensus in Roscommon is that he’ll also be on the ballot.

The main parties…

For Labour, Senator John Kelly, who ran last time out, is seriously thinking about another bid.

Speaking to this website back in May, Kelly said that he hadn’t been planning to run, but was reconsidering following Eamon Gilmore’s decision to step down as leader.

The latest word from the Senator is that he might not run for the party unless new Health Minister Leo Varadkar considers the ‘feasability’ of fully reopening the Emergency Department at Roscommon.

For Fine Gael, the consensus among members in the area appears to be that Maura Hopkins, a Young Fine Gael activist and first-time candidate who claimed a council seat for the party in Boyle in May, is ideally placed to run.

Though some party figures have admitted privately that FG hasn’t a chance of winning the contest, the campaign would provide a good opportunity to ‘blood’ a relatively new political personality over the wider area.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Hopkins said she hadn’t made her mind up, but was “strongly considering” her options and expected to make a decision “in the next week or two”.

The selection convention for the party is expected to be held in early September.

Maura Hopkins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny [@hopkins_maura]

The situation, finally, in Sinn Féin appears a little uncertain at this stage.

Leitrim-based councillor Martin Kenny — who narrowly lost out to Matt Carthy in the bid to become the party’s MEP candidate in Midlands-North West — looks unlikely to run, considering the upcoming boundary change.

One SF member said the party was likely to follow the same strategy its pursuing in the Dublin South West by-election, and select a female candidate.

Runners and riders update: Here’s who’s vying to take Brian Hayes’ vacant Dáil seat

Related: Ming: No, I won’t send a replacement to Brussels

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16 Comments
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    May 12th 2014, 8:45 PM

    The bigger they are, the slower they pay.

    148
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    Mute The Hooded Biscuit
    Favourite The Hooded Biscuit
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    May 12th 2014, 11:52 PM

    So true, got to the stage with my business where I have refused work from some large businesses who think I should be grateful, not worth it for the pain of constant chasing and chasing.

    22
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    Mute Ian Mac Eochagáin
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    May 12th 2014, 9:18 PM

    “Payment managers”? Intrum Justitia are debt collectors who use underhand methods (anonymous voicemail messages and hand-delivered notes) to chase up debtors. If everyone started paying their bills on time Intrum would go out of business.

    That’s not exactly true about Finland. Well, maybe the stats are, because people are more disciplined. Here if you forget to pay a bill (which has happened to me once or twice) it takes them a week or two to notice and then they send you a reminder.

    57
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    Mute Jimbo
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    May 12th 2014, 8:33 PM

    Well that sucks balls.

    51
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    Mute Noble Gas
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    May 12th 2014, 8:50 PM

    We pay after 65 days – contracts says 30. Drives the Germans and French suppliers banana’s

    40
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    Mute Crocodylus Pontifex
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    May 12th 2014, 9:04 PM

    Not as bananas as that unnecessary apostrophe is driving me.

    76
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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    May 12th 2014, 9:14 PM

    Noble Gas, …..and you’re proud of that fact ? Suppose your company don’t expect it’s customer to honour payment terms so they can take the p1ss as well. Pathetic excuse for management.

    56
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    May 12th 2014, 8:45 PM

    Jobs jobs jobs, FG can’t even do that right and it’s all they do. Skew figures

    39
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    Mute Gaucho Doyle
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    May 12th 2014, 10:21 PM

    Getting paid business to business in sixty days would be good in Ireland. It’s more like 90 to 120, you ask some campanys to pay you after 30 days and they look at you like you have two heads and then come up with any accounting excuse not to pay you. ‘Oh we won’t be doing a cheque run till the end of the month’, ‘One of the directors is away at the moment, so we won’t be able to issue a cheque till he’s back’ bla bla bla Then why do you order these goods and services!!!!!!!!!

    39
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    Mute Happy Go Lucky
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    May 12th 2014, 10:45 PM

    You forgot the cheque is in the post…

    18
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    Mute blah!
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    May 12th 2014, 9:07 PM

    Ok maybe I’m missing something, the article, in paragraph two, refers to “unpaid bills”, then further on states that for business to business, payments are made around 29 days with 14 days the norm for public sector payments. Prompt payment legislation, as far as I know, requires payment to be made within 30 days from receipt of invoice. These are not “unpaid bills” or “late or non-payment of debt”. Maybe 30 days is too long in our digital age but at least call it what it is. On time, legislatively compliant payments. Or perhaps the problem is elsewhere, lack of credit to cover the 30 day period. That would be the banks again….

    33
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    Mute Dave Mac
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    May 12th 2014, 9:48 PM

    Intrum justicas sales manager!!

    He just let slip that you don’t have to pay them!

    Idiot!

    26
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    Mute Simon O'Keeffe
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    May 12th 2014, 9:34 PM

    Doh! What do they think jobsbridge was created for.

    17
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    Mute Patrick Linehan
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    May 12th 2014, 10:47 PM

    It’s called the Tragic Roundabout. I can’t pay A because I haven’t been paid by B who’s owed money by C.

    13
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    Mute Lisa Saputo
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    May 12th 2014, 11:55 PM

    Are debt collectors called payment managers now?

    13
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    Mute Christopher O Callaghan
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    May 18th 2014, 1:16 AM

    Payment managers/credit controllers/credit management advisors etc

    1
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    Mute Christopher O Callaghan
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    May 18th 2014, 1:16 AM

    Payment managers/credit controllers/credit management advisors etc

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    Mute GATHERINGYOURMONEY14
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    May 12th 2014, 11:38 PM

    The bust shmall chounthry ta doo bwisnish in.
    Because you don’t have to pay your suppliers.

    8
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