With the starting pistol fired on General Election 2024, the three main political parties are vying to make gains in Galway’s three constituencies as they battle it out to lead the next government.

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil looking to double their representation in Galway East and West, while Sinn Féin will be seeking to hold what they have in Roscommon-Galway and Galway West, and to pick up an additional seat in Galway East.

The East constituency is viewed as the most ‘in play’ with an additional seat up for grabs due to the electoral boundary review – and all of the ‘big three’ have their eyes firmly fixed on it.

Sinn Féin came very close to taking the third of three seats ahead of Minister Anne Rabbitte (FF) in 2020, and since an additional seat has been added this time around, the party had been widely expected to be a shoo-in.

But with declining popularity in national polls, there has been less certainty that their candidate, County Councillor Louis O’Hara, will take a seat.

Minister Rabbitte told the Tribune this week that she was out to retain her seat – and was seeking to secure a second seat for the other Fianna Fáil candidate, County Councillor Albert Dolan.

She said the news that Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice would not be running in Galway East – opting to stay in Roscommon-Galway – had increased the prospect of that.

“The fact is that all parties now have a fighting shot at that fourth seat and there is a real opportunity here for Fianna Fáil to capitalise on that.

“I am looking to retain a seat, and we are ambitious for Albert to win his own seat, too,” she said.

Fine Gael is running three candidates in Galway East – County Councillor Peter Roche, Niamh Madden, and City Councillor Clodagh Higgins.

With a geographic spread, party sources have indicated that there is growing confidence of a second seat for the party which is losing Deputy Ciarán Cannon to retirement.

In Galway West, Taoiseach Simon Harris ramped up the campaign for two Fine Gael seats with a visit to the city on Sunday last.

While the Fine Gael leader refused to guarantee a senior ministry for Galway should the pair be elected and the party return to Government, he stressed the experience of both candidates at a senior government level.

“We’re running great candidates here in Galway West. I am so proud of Hildegarde and Seán and I really want to see two Fine Gael seats in Galway West,” said Mr Harris.

Pictured: Taoiseach Simon Harris canvassing with Deputy Hildegarde Naughton and Senator Seán Kyne at the Christmas Market in Galway on Sunday. Photo: Fergal Phillips