One of three seats in North Tipperary is up for grabs in the 2024 general election after Fianna Fáil’s Jackie Cahill resigned and a consistent Roscrea local election poll announced plans to fill it.

Fianna Fáil councilor Michael Smith received the highest percentage of first preference votes in all of County Tipperary in the summer local elections, 29%, for the third consecutive local election for a council seat of County Tipperary and he has now set his sights on the Dáil – following in the footsteps of his father, Michael Smith Snr., a former Defense Minister.

Cllr Smith first won a seat on North Tipperary County Council 20 years ago and has been re-elected in every local election he has contested since then, topping the poll in 2009, 2014, 2019 and again during the local elections in June 2024.

Fianna Fáil will hold its nominating convention this weekend and Cloughjordan’s Ryan O’Meara, a new councilor elected in the Nenagh municipal area in June, has launched his bid to win the nomination this weekend – gaining support of outgoing TD, Jackie Cahill. , several Tipperary councilors and the three Fianna Fáil councilors in the Castlecomer electoral area beforehand.

The West Kilkenny region will vote in the North Tipperary constituency in this election and could play an interesting role in the candidates’ performance.

Speaking to the Midland Tribune on Tuesday evening (October 29), Councilor Smith sounded confident ahead of the selection conference.

“Now that the nomination process has begun, I formally declare my candidacy for Fianna Fáil at the next general election. Having consulted widely with my family, friends and loyal supporters, I believe I can win a seat for our party” , he declared. a brief statement.

“I have worked diligently as a Tipperary councilor for the past 20 years.

“I have demonstrated my hard work, dedication and commitment to the people. It would be a great privilege for me to ask the people of North Tipperary and West Kilkenny to support my candidacy for TD in the next elections,” said Cllr. Smith said.

Michael Smith is hoisted above the crowd at the Thurles counting center in June and he hopes to repeat the success in November