Following an article, published yesterday in Meath Live, that came from sources voicing concerns at the delay in announcing who will fill the Navan seat in Meath County Council, with the vacancy created with Linda Nelson Murray, now a senator. There is dissatisfaction locally that no one has being coopted to the position.
A Fine Gael spokesman has contacted Meath Live, to issue the following statement, “The election of the new Seanad concluded on February 7th with the appointment of the 11 Taoiseach nominees. “Arising from the formation of the new Seanad, there are ten Fine Gael Local Authority vacancies to be filled. “The scheduling of co-option conventions is a matter for the Fine Gael Executive Council, and as of today, no dates for any of the ten conventions has been scheduled. “It is anticipated the Executive Council will schedule the ten conventions shortly.”
It is the normal practise of parties to operate in this manner, it appears that the delay has caused disquiet at local level. Linda Nelson Murray was elected in her first run as a Fine Gael councillor in June 2025. She then went on to win the nomination for the Meath West constituency. The third seat was won by Fianna Fail’s Aisling Dempsey, also a councillor at the time, her seat was filled by Cllr Paul O’Rourke.
Cllr Gillian Toole was also elected to the Dail in Meath East, as an independent. Her seat in the council was filled by Yvonne Everard in the Ratoath MD.
Meanwhile speculation has leaned towards Fine Gael chairperson for Navan Town, Ross Kelly (pictured above with Yemi Adenuga and Linda Nelson Murray) the only known candidate for the position. He has contested in a number of local elections, to date without success. The decision will be confirmed in due course by the Fine Gael Executive Council when the conventions are held.
