Donegal candidates declaring intentions to run in upcoming General Election

Taoiseach Simon Harris confirmed on Friday that the General Election will take place in less than three weeks time – Friday, November 29 – and asked President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil.

With less than a month left to campaign, the parties and independents have been out on the campaign trail and in Donegal, there are five seats to be filled.

The current TDs, who were elected in the last General Election in 2020 are Fianna Fáil’s Minister Charlie McConalogue, who is the current Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Sinn Féin TDs Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn and Deputy Pearse Doherty, Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh (who is not running for re-election) and Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle.

They will be hoping to retain their seats, but there are quite a number of candidates also hoping to take them.

Fianna Fáil is to run Minister McConalogue and Pat the Cope Gallagher, and recently announced a third candidate, Claudia Kennedy.

Fine Gael is running two candidates, Senator Nikki Bradley and John McNulty.

The two sitting Sinn Féin TDs, Deputies MacLochlainn and Doherty, are both seeking re-election and a third candidate, Councillor Noel Jordan was recently confirmed as the third candidate.

The Green Party confirmed Dr Nuala Carr as their Donegal candidate for the General Election and Mary T Sweeney will run for Aontú. Carol Gallagher is People Before Profit’s candidate and Eamon McGee will run for the Irish Freedom Party. Kim McMenamin is seeking election for the Irish People, and Independent Ireland has announced Donna Murray as its Donegal candidate. Kevin Sharkey, Niall McConnell and Frank O’Donnell are running as Independent candidates. The 100% Redress Party candidate is Charles Ward.

The Labour Party is yet to confirm a candidate and further candidates could be announced in the coming days. The latest time for receiving nominations is 12 noon on Saturday, November 16.

For voters, the deadline to register for a postal vote was Sunday, November 10.

Tuesday, November 12 is the deadline for voters to 'check the register'. You can do so at www.checktheregister.ie