The party is the latest to unveil their chosen candidate to be Ireland’s first directly elected Mayor.
Maurice Quinlivan will seek Sinn Féin’s nomination to contest the upcoming Mayoral election, the TD has confirmed. The Limerick politician had had been tipped as a likely candidate, with party officials making an official announcement today.
Speaking on his bid to be the first person elected to the position, Mr Quinlivan said: “I want to be Mayor of Limerick to serve as a Mayor for all the people of Limerick.
“The people of Limerick need a voice who will stand up for Limerick, who will work hard to ensure that we get a fair deal from government and that our city and county work better for its people. That is what I am committed to delivering.”
The Sinn Féin politician also spoke about the ongoing crisis in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), saying that families need to feel confident that they and their loved ones have access to quality healthcare.
The election, which is the first of its kind in the state, will be watched closely by senior politicians nationwide. Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, People Before Profit, the Social Democrats and Aontú have all announced their chosen candidates – with Fine Gael and Labour expected to follow suit soon.
The vote will take place in June on the same day as both the local and European elections. With speculation growing about when the next general election will be, it’s likely that parties will base their campaigns on how will they do in June.
For Sinn Féin, whose sights are firmly set on securing their first stint in Government in the Republic of Ireland, a successful campaign for Mr Quinlivan alongside a substantial boost in council seats would be a far more successful outing than in 2019, where they were obliterated in the last local elections.
The party will be hoping to make gains on Limerick City and County Council as well as nationwide, as they’re heading into the election as a far more popular electoral force than they were five years ago.
