The recent appointment of Senator Nikki Bradley, a prominent disability advocate, and entrepreneur John McNulty as representatives for the Fine Gael party in the upcoming general election for Donegal constituency has been announced. Additionally, in the newly created Dublin Fingal West constituency, Grace Boland, a solicitor, has been selected as the party’s candidate, having won the party’s convention against Councillor Eoghan Dockrell.
Bradley’s appointment in the Seanad by Taoiseach Simon Harris earlier this summer acts as a replacement for Regina Doherty following her election to the European Parliament. McNulty, on the other hand, was put forward by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2014 to contest a by-election in the Seanad Éireann’s cultural and education panel. However, it later was revealed that McNulty had been assigned to the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s board just six days prior to his party nomination, a post without which he couldn’t have stood for the election.
The controversy sparked McNulty, a retailer by profession, to indicate to Fine Gael members his lack of interest in a seat in the Upper House. The duo were chosen at a convention held on Monday night at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Letterkenny, overseen by Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys.
With these latest appointments, Fine Gael has now selected 30 representatives to campaign in 18 constituencies in the forthcoming general election. Speaking about her hopes of becoming a TD, Bradley pledged to use her personal experience and insights to push for a better quality of life for others living with disabilities. She also vowed to persist in addressing the issue of defective blocks that have affected numerous people in the constituency.
McNulty pledged to be a diligent representative for Donegal residents, if elected, with a particular emphasis on improving the farming and fishing sectors, as well as enhancing housing access, healthcare, drawing tourism, and essential infrastructure improvements.
Ensuring health services are accessible to many in Donegal remains a pressing concern, and it’s vital that we see ongoing funding for Letterkenny University Hospital. Additionally, tangible solutions must be put in place for the defective concrete issue, which has affected a significant number of individuals and families across the region.
Ms Boland, whose late father John Boland was a minister and TD for Fine Gael, faced tough competition from Cllr Dockrell. Post the event, she expressed that her passion for serving the public derives from her father’s enduring legacy of community growth and reform, shaping her ambitions and core values.
Her father’s contributions in Fingal included the establishment of several key community resources such as Ardgillan Demesne, Skerries Red Island, Skerries Mills, Malahide Castle, Newbridge Demesne, along with numerous sports fields and resources for Fingal’s residents. Such efforts have had a profound effect leaving a lasting mark, and she pledged to uphold this tradition of public service.