MEET THE CANDIDATES: Sixteen venture into the bear pit of Navan

ANN CASEY

Navan has been described as the bear pit of politics in Meath where the toughest fights will take place for the seven seats.
The housing crisis, along with crime and anti-social behaviour are among the biggest issues with voters in this electoral area which was just last month deemed a rent pressure zone.
Candidates from all the parties have been hearing desperate tales of housing insecurity and claims of anti-social behaviour, particularly in the town centre.
Rural concerns are broadly similar but pylons are still a major issue for part of the electoral area including Boyerstown, Dunderry, Robinstown.
Trade Unionist, John Regan, who has campaigned on the housing issue said it is the biggest concern for voters in Navan.
"Homelessness is the biggest issue. There is not enough social housing being built. Meath has the second highest rents in the country. This needs to be tackled urgently and the council needs to take back ownership of building their own council houses," he said.

Whatever the most pressing issues are, the public in Navan appear to be engaging well with all candidates.
"People are more engaged now than they have been since the recession”, according to Fianna Fail's director of election, Mark Power.
The Navan area has a history of electing a broad mix of councillors from all parties and independents and there is a colourful array of candidates in this election.
The political landscape has changed dramatically since 2014 with the death of the very popular Sinn Fein councillor, Joe Reilly and the retirement of Jim Holloway, who has been a councillor since 1994.
While some of the issues remain the same, housing has soared to the top of the voters minds, as has crime, while climate change and environmental issues have also begun to engage the voters.
Household water charges and water metres were the hot topic in 2014 and while this is no longer the case rising commercial rates, property taxes and the issue of soaring insurance costs are big issues for local businesses and households.

Navan is a seven seater electoral area, the smallest geographically and is mostly urban.
The late Cllr Joe Reilly topped the poll in 2014 and was elected on the first count and while it remains to be seen how much of that was a personal vote, Sinn Fein still remains in a strong position to hold onto its two seats with Sinead Burke and Edward Fennessy, although Aontu's Emer Tóibín, a sister of the new party's founder, Peadar Tóibín may inflict damage on the Sinn Fein vote.
Fine Gael is running three entirely new faces, Yemi Adenuga, Karen Byrne and Ross Kelly and while retaining the one seat they have seems to be likely, they will be hoping to take two and have been putting in a strong canvass in both the rural and urban area.
Fianna Fail has taken the bold decision to run four candidates, two of them Tommy Reilly and Padraig Fitzsimons are outgoing councillors, while Jenny McHugh is a former councillor and Madeleine Thornton is a first time candidate who has put in a lot of work on the ground. 
Independents and the smaller parties have always thrown up surprises in Navan. Francis Deane, an independent councillor since 2009 can be fairly certain to retain his seat and Wayne Forde, who has served one term as an independent has also a strong base in the area.
Alan Lawes, a Johnstown resident who has been a candidate in the past, has been built up a strong profile over the past four years and despite being the only candidate in the race in Navan who has absolutely no posters, he is expected to put in a very good showing this time.

Bohermeen’s Stephen Ball has been a candidate on several occasions. Another very strong community activist one of his main platform is the pylons issue - one that been to the forefront in that area for well over a decade. Amy McGrath is a Social Democrat whose campaign created a bit of a stir when the party's leaders visited Navan recently.
Climate change and biodiversity is something which has really been engaging the public and particularly younger voters in recent times, which could provide a boost to the Greens, Seamus McMenamin, a popular local GP.

Candidates: Eddie fennessy, Amy McGrath, Seamus McMenamin, Alan Lawes, Francis Deane, Jenny McHugh, Emer Toibin, Madeleine Thornton