Senator Jerry Buttimer has been added to the ticket by Fine Gael in the Cork South Central constituency for the next general election, as the party bids to retain former Tánaiste Simon Coveney’s seat.
Mr Buttimer lost his seat in the Dáil at the 2016 general election. He was subsequently elected to the Seanad where he was appointed by the Taoiseach as leader of the house.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for the party Cork South Central at the 2020 general election, but was re-elected to the Seanad in 2020.
Mr Buttimer will run alongside Fine Gael councillors Úna McCarthy and Shane O’Callaghan, who were selected over the senator and several other candidates at a convention in July. Mr Coveney had confirmed earlier that month that he would not seek re-election to the Dáil.
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Fine Gael has now chosen 67 general election candidates in 41 constituencies.
Mr Buttimer said he was “honoured” to have been asked by Taoiseach Simon Harris to contest the next election in the constituency.
“Simon Harris is campaigning with a new dedication and a new energy,” he said.
“Throughout my career, I have always brought that same dedication and energy, not only to campaigning for Fine Gael at election time, but also to representing the people of Cork and the constituency of Cork South-Central in particular.
“My motivation lies in generating ideas and energy, about doing and delivering.”
The addition of a third candidate to the Fine Gael ticket in Cork South Central had been expected, in order to give the party a chance of taking a second seat in the five-seater constituency.
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