THE BY-ELECTIONS in Galway West and Dublin Central are expected to be held during the month of May.

Speaking yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “We’re looking at a May election, it would seem to me, good weather and so on.” 

Senior sources have confirmed that Friday 22 May is earmarked for polling day, meaning the Dáil could have two new TDs before the summer recess. 

The seat in Galway West has to be filled due to Catherine Connolly’s election as president in November, while the seat in Dublin Central is vacant after Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe departed Irish politics for a job at the World Bank last year.

As reported by The Journal earlier this week, many of the political parties have already selected and announced their candidates for the two constituencies. 

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil 

By-elections are notoriously difficult for government parties to win, with the public often using them to give the government a kicking. 

In terms of the Dublin Central constituency, it is widely anticipated that current Lord Mayor of the city Ray McAdam will seek Fine Gael’s nomination, though sources indicate that the party’s councillor Gaye Ralph is also interested in putting her hat in the ring. 

In terms of Galway West, Fine Gael senator Sean Kyne is tipped to get the nod for the party, though local councillor Eddie Hoare is also expected to go for the nomination, party sources have indicated.

The presidential election was the last one Fianna Fáil contested, and it did not go as planned to say the least, which may be why the by-elections have been pushed out to such a late date.

The thinking is that it will create space between a new contest and the Jim Gavin implosion. 

The Fianna Fáil nomination process is due to get underway in the coming weeks. 

Fianna Fáil has not had a TD in Dublin Central since 2011 after Bertie Ahern left office, meaning it will be a tough race for whichever candidate the party chooses.

Right now, it looks like it will be one of two nominees: Senator Mary Fitzpatrick or the party’s only councillor in the constituency, Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, John Stevens.

When it comes to Galway West, there are three possibilities, according to senior Fianna Fáil sources: councillor Cillian Keane; councillor Máirtín Lee; and councillor Alan Cheevers.