Campaigner for 'Boxer' to be put forward for Athlone council seat

Incoming TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran is to propose his director of elections, Garnafailagh's John Gibbons, to fill the Westmeath County Council vacancy arising as a result of his election to the Dáil.

Mr Gibbons has been a campaigner for 'Boxer' for a long number of years.

The new TD described him as "a very close ally of mine" and someone who had been with him "through thick and thin".

Early in 2022, at a time when 'Boxer' was not an elected representative, his son Jamie stepped down from Westmeath County Council and sought to co-opt his father onto the local authority in his place.

This change was blocked by the sitting councillors at the time, and Paul Hogan was co-opted onto the vacant seat, which he subsequently held at the local elections last June.

It's understood that Westmeath County Council's standing orders have since been changed to ensure that if an Independent candidate vacates a seat, he or she can nominate their successor.

This means there is not expected to be any prospect of a similar effort to prevent Mr Gibbons from taking Boxer's council seat in Athlone.