Fine Gael selects Councillor Garret Kelleher and Imelda Daly to contest Cork North Central in General Election

Councillor Garret Kelleher and Imelda Daly have been selected by Fine Gael to represent the party in the Cork North Central constituency in the General Election alongside Minister Colm Burke.

Fine Gael have now chosen 74 General Election candidates in 42 constituencies.

Councillor Garret Kelleher said: “It’s a great honour to be asked by An Taoiseach Simon Harris to contest the upcoming General Election in Cork North Central for Fine Gael.

“I look forward to representing the interests of the entire constituency and to that end, I will draw upon my experience as the sitting Cathaoirleach of the Southern Regional Assembly to ensure that Cork North Central has a strong voice in Government to deliver the capital investment needed to enhance Cork’s status as the country’s second city.

“As a Ballincollig resident and a local councillor, I am acutely conscious of the opportunity that the forthcoming election presents.

“The southwestern side of our newly expanded constituency has not had a resident TD since 2011 and I look forward to taking the opportunity to redress this imbalance.”

Imelda Daly said: “I am both delighted and honoured to be chosen as a Fine Gael General Election candidate for Cork North Central.

“I was born and raised in Glanmire. Although I’m now a ‘city’ woman, I spent huge parts of my childhood and adulthood on my dad’s farm.

“I’ve seen firsthand the love that farmers have for their animals and land, and I am fully aware of the daily struggles that farmers face. We need to protect their livelihoods giving them the respect they deserve as an integral part of Irish society.

“As a mother and a primary school teacher of over 18 years I know we need a lot more investment in education, particularly special education with more special schools and the provision of more ASD classrooms in a mainstream setting.

“Education is a right for all children to have regardless of ability or disability and I will fight for the children, parents, teachers, SNA’s and principals of Cork North Central if elected to represent them in Dáil Eireann.

“I am also passionate about women’s health. We need more female focused health care centres with more screening for conditions such as endometriosis. We need better post-natal care for women in Ireland with better access to post-natal health professionals.

“I have worked as teacher for years and with your support I will bring my years of compassion, care and diligence from the classroom to Dáil Eireann and deliver for the people of Cork North Central.”