Marcella 'refocused' on Dail duties

Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy says that she is “completely refocused” on serving the people of Offaly after she fell short in her bid to be added to the FG ticket for the European elections in the South Constituency.

Junior agriculture minister Andrew Doyle from Wicklow was selected at the convention in Clonmel last Saturday to run alongside FG's sitting MEPs Deirdre Clune and Sean Kelly in the newly redrawn constituency that will include Offaly for the first time.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy said that she put her name forward for nomination after being asked to do so by her party.

“At the end of the day when your party ask you to do something you consider it very carefully as I did. As it turned out Andrew came through at the selection convention.

“I was very busy last week campaigning but now my focus in my Dail work and dealing with climate action and all the other things we have to deal with.”

Ms Corcoran Kennedy hosted a meeting in Tullamore tonight in the Tullamore Court Hotel (8pm) at which Tániste Simon Coveney gave an update on Brexit and what it means for the people of Offaly.

While she hopes that it will be avoided, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy says that the government has worked hard to ensure that if Britain leaves the EU without a deal, the necessary measures are in place to minimise the impact on Ireland.

“An awful lot of work has gone in from our side. The legislation is ready if there is a no deal Brexit. We feel that we have done our bit and it's down to the UK to see sense. Brexit is not good news for anyone but we have tried to minimise the fall out from it.”