Solictor ran up tally of thousands
CASH WENT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES
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SWORDS solicitor, John Hennessy, topped the spending stakes for last summer's local elections, running up a tally of € 14,329.
The Fianna Fáil candidate, who was a surprise late entrant in the Swords ward, effectively spent € 15.37 for each of his 932 first preference votes. And what's more, his entire election budget came from his own pocket, with € 6,225 spent on publicity and advertising, € 5,361 on posters and € 2,242 on leaflets and literature.
'I was at a hell of a disadvantage in that I only had a three-week campaign,' Mr Hennessy told the Fingal Independent. 'You have to spend a lot of money to let people know you're even running.
'If I had the time again or a lengthy period of time, the same as the other candidates did, I would have spent a lot less, because there's no substitute for going around doors and telling people what you're about.
'I am pleased I got my message across and people definitely responded to it. The one sad thing was that it was largely irrelevant, as because people forgot about local issues and focussed on national issues.
' The most enjoyable aspect was the time spent on the doorsteps. It was all my own money and it also went to local businesses, to local papers and printers.'
Fellow Fianna Fáil member, Cllr Darragh Butler, retained his seat after shelling out some € 12,995, the second highest total, € 9,334 of which came from other sources, with € 5,410 going on posters alone.
Labour's Cllr Tom Kelleher retained his seat after spending € 11,325, with € 8,325 coming from his own finances, while Fine Gael's Cllr Anne Devitt's € 10,922 tally was all from other sources.
Another returning councillor, Gerry McGuire of Labour, spent € 10,009, € 7,109 of which was his own money and which all went on advertising and publicity, while Fine Gael candidate, Bob Dowling, was the second highest spending unelected runner, with a total expenditure of € 6,722.
Labour's Pat Ward spent € 5,567, nearly a fifth of which was his own outlay, while Conor Kelly of Sinn Féin shelled out € 4,755 of his own money for his campaign, just ahead of Fine Gael's James Lawless, who spent € 4,742.
Perhaps the most interesting figures belong to Cllr Clare Daly, as the Socialist Party candidate topped the poll, while spending a relatively low € 2,426, just over half of which came from her own funds.
Her party colleague, John McCamley, spent the next least at € 1,640, while Independent Joe O'Neill's record was unavailable.
- Robin KIELY
