Johnny McGuinness to defend his Fine Gael seat in Carndonagh electoral area

Sitting Fine Gael councillor Johnny McGuinness is to defend his seat in the Carndonagh electoral area at the local elections in June.

He was nominated and selected to contest the election at a selection convention in McGrory’s hotel in Culdaff on Sunday night.

The son of the late long-serving county councillor Bernard McGuiness, he was co-opted to take his father’s seat two years ago.

The convention was chaired by Deputy Frank Feighan, former Minister of State at the Department of Health, and was attended by chair of the executive Doreen Sheridan-Kennedy, John Lohan, the Fine Gael regional organiser for Donegal, and by National Executive member Gerry McMunn.

McGuinness was proposed by Seamus ‘Fildara’ McLaughlin, and  seconded by George Mills, who both expressed their gratitude to him for his work on the ground since 2022, and their belief that he is hard-working, committed and wholly dedicated to the people of the Carndonagh electoral area.

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In his address to the convention, the county councillor spoke of the great honour it was to be selected as the candidate to contest the local elections.

“I am delighted to have been given this opportunity to represent you, the people of Culdaff and of the Carndonagh district of north Inishowen. It has been a great honour for me to serve this area over the last two years, since I took over my dad’s seat following his sudden passing.

“I was very proud to take over from my late father Bernard McGuinness almost two years ago now. My father treated everyone with equal respect, and he got deep satisfaction as a public representative from helping vulnerable people who needed assistance. My father served this community for 42 years, and I watched him all my life; from him, I learned hard work, listening carefully to people and valuing the people around you.”

He said he had witnessed hundreds of times the difference his father made “as he

represented people, fought for them, and I would like to believe that I have, and will continue to, carry on in that vein, representing people to the best of my ability”.

Cllr McGuinness said the core values that his father passed on “will be my guiding principles also”. 

“My late father’s shoes could never be filled by anyone and all I have done since his passing is tried my hardest to deliver for the villages and communities throughout Inishowen.”

The defective blocks crisis is the greatest issue facing the people of Inishowen, he said.

"As recently as December 8, I visited the Department of Housing, as part of a cross Party delegation, to lobby the officials to help deliver on the many shortfalls of the so-called Enhanced Scheme.

“I made proposals on the day on the transfer of eligibility and on the penalty-free downsizing being afforded to the many families affected by this travesty, which would be a help to some individuals and families affected by Mica.”

He said he will also prioritise the issue of the proposed closure of the Mental Health Residential Services (SRU) in Carndonagh, the rise of criminal incidents in the community, the upgrade of the N2-A5 route to Dublin and the improvement of tourism in Inishowen.

“I pledge to fight for the people of Inishowen, and if I am privileged enough to be returned to Donegal County Council in June, I would be proud to continue with the work my father has started,” he said.