Late addition to FG ticket fully justified

With Fine Gael enjoying unprecedented popularity nationally, there was always a strong possiblity that the party would manage to take two seats in Meath West - but the question remained: which two? Damien English was a dead cert but, with the party running three candidates in a three-seater, would it be Catherine Yore or Ray Butler who could secure that second seat? Butler admits he was devastated not to have been chosen as the party's second candidate at the FG selection convention, missing out by less than a vote. But, after much to-ing and fro-ing with party headquarters, the Trim town and county councillor was finally added to the party ticket in Meath West as a third candidate with just over a month to go to polling day. With a large pool of Trim votes there for the taking after former Fianna Fail government minister Noel Demspey announced his retirement from politics, Butler believed that he would be the one to get Fine Gael its second seat in the constituency, despite his late entry. While many questioned the wisdom of Fine Gael running three candidates in Meath West, Butler said he never had any concerns, saying that as well as the party vote, he also had a strong personal vote. "I was never concerned about running three candidates. I knew I had the work done on the ground and the people of Meath West know me and know that I have worked hard for the last eight or 10 years," he said. "Noel Dempsey wasn't running, the Trim was vote there. My vote is a party vote but is also a very personal vote as well. I made a lot of friends down through the years and it is a very personal vote as well as a party vote," he insisted. Butler admitted he was devastated not to be chosen at the selection convention but said that there were great people behind him who had "pushed it and pushed it". He said: "I was devastated to lose out by by a percentage transfer less than one vote but that is democracy and you move on and get on with it. As the old saying goes, a week in politics is a long time and there are always twists and turns in politics." Polling 5,262 first preference votes to put him in fourth place after the first count, Butler benefited from 2,300 of Catherine Yore's transfers when she was eliminated on the third count, to put him well ahead of his nearest rival, Labour's Jenny McHugh, to take the third seat. An elated Butler said: "I never ever thought this day would come. It was hard work, to come late into the campaign and only have four-and-a-half weeks to get elected. "The party believed in me. My Trim branch and my family and friends, they all believed in me and they all saw the work I had done over the last eight to 10 years on the ground and, when we got the go-ahead, we hit the ground running and we never stopped." He went on: "There were nights when we could have anything from 12 to 30 people out. One day in Enfield, we had 36 people out canvassing. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank them - party members, friends and family. Without them, this wouldn't be possible."