Far too many Review of the Year and Top 10 for 2010 posts about at the moment for me to add to. Instead  a few reminders from 2009 and a spotlight on those who you may not hear about and possibly can do without hearing about too.

Earlier this year you remember my delight at the youngest FG candidate (at that time) issuing a press release saying he was going to knock on doors looking for votes like it was something unusual. He also said he was running for county council as well as town council well before the selection convention agreed to it being so. Simon ran a very active campaign with some unusual features

(We still have yet to discover which child sweated through the early Irish summer for the cause!)

I even had the opportunity to meet Simon when he took the opportunity to visit the blogger room at the FG Ard Fheis before the election.

Four quota’s for a town council seat and a county council seat later (highest polling candidate in the country no less!), Cllr Harris has hit the ground running having clinics everywhere and press releasing like he’s wanting to outdo Val Falvey.

Well Simon wants to be where Val is – Dáil Eireann. And this week he’s issued another stunning press release announcing his latest plan.

Highest polling County Councillor in the country and youngest member of Wicklow County Council announces his intention to run for the Dail in Wicklow at the next General Election.

This time Simon anticipates internal party democracy and notes there will be a selection convention, Enda has said there’s going to be three places on the FG ticket in the garden county and Simon wants one of them!

So in reassuring us of his intention of doing his civic duty and saving the country,  Simon says that he’s doing the decent thing – going after the Minister’s seat.

“Through my involvement in community groups, residents’ associations, charities and indeed the local authority I see the real potential that this county of ours has but I also see that potential being hampered by Government inaction and Government failure. It is not healthy for a country to have one party constantly in Government – democracy and society need a change and I want to play my part in offering people a chance to vote for that change.

“I will seek the Fine Gael nomination with one aim and one aim only – to win an additional seat for the Fine Gael Party at the expense of the sitting Fianna Fail TD, Dick Roche. I believe it is time for fresh thinking, new energy and enthusiasm in politics. This is what people across County Wicklow tell me they are looking for.

I suppose Simon couldn’t say he was after anyone else’s seat but am sure the sitting FG TD’s are looking a bit cautiously over their xmas selection boxes wondering what he’s up to! No doubt super Simon will be entertaining us all with his tireless work on behalf of his constituents in 2010!