Ballinrobe FG councillor declines to rule out Mayo general election bid

Ballinrobe-based Fine Gael welcomed the commission's report which has returned the areas of South Mayo previously part of the Galway West constituency since 2016 back to Mayo.

He said: “All these areas are part of the old rural Ballinrobe electoral division so I am delighted that they will be back in the Mayo constituency where they always should have been.

"The areas include Cong, Dalgan, Houndswood, Kilmaine, The Neale and Shrule which are just a few minutes out the road from Ballinrobe but were being represented by Dáil deputies elected in Galway.

When asked on local radio would he be a candidate for the Dáil in the next election, Councillor Burke said he’d never rule anything in or out but added that he has a local election next year and that’s the only election on his mind.

"“I was elected as a local representative for the people of Ballinrobe and South Mayo and being a local representative is what I’m focused on.

"I can say that I have not given any thought at all to a role in national politics as I’ve always felt Mayo has been represented very well on the national stage with the TDs we have from my party.

"I also believe that if somebody wants to run for the Dáil I think they should go and run for the Dáil and not be playing a game running for the county council just to get their name out in front of the public, I don’t think anybody would make a very good county councillor if they spend half their time day-dreaming of being a TD.”