GREEN Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley will be in Fermoy on Friday to unveil his party's local election candidates for the east Cork area.

Minister Gormley will formally endorse the list of candidates running under the Green Party banner in next June's elections at a meeting in the Grand Hotel on Ashe Quay from 11am.

Included on that list will be 19- year- old Adam Douglas, from Bartlemy, who will be running for a seat on Fermoy Town Council next June.

A first year International Relations student at DCU, Mr Douglas will be the youngest Green Party candidate in Ireland to seek a position on a local authority.

The other candidates whose campaigns will be formally launched by Minister Gormley include Martin O'Keeffe who will run for Cork County Council in the Fermoy Ward, Cllr Liam Burke who will seek re- election to Youghal Town Council, Sarah Iremonger (Cobh Town Council) and Malachy Harty (Midleton Town and Cork County Council).

During the meeting each of the candidates will outline their focus for the forthcoming campaign and issues they intend to tackle should they be elected.

Mr Douglas this week told The Corkman that he was looking forward to getting out on the hustings.

"As someone who went to school in Fermoy I have a firm grasp of the important issues facing the town. It is my belief that many of the current councillors are out of touch with the people of the town and that new blood and fresh ideas are needed to push Fermoy forward," said Mr Douglas.

"Change is an absolute necessity if the council as a forum is to regain the confidence of the people living in Fermoy," he added.

Mr Douglas said the need for new blood on the council is one of key issues which he believed need to be addressed in the lead up to next year's vote.

"Another important issue is the stagnation of Fermoy town centre and the need for structured sustainable retail development on sites such as the former Mart. It is vitally important that this development compliments the existing retail sector," he said.

"I would also view the implementation of the Fermoy Flood Plan as a vital issue to the future of Fermoy," added.

Meanwhile, former Progressive Democrat town councillor Peter Merrigan has confirmed he will run for election next year, despite the dissolution of the party last weekend.

Cllr Merrigan told The Corkman that he is currently in contact with a number of other political parties.

"I will be a in a position to say more in the new-year," he said. "I can however confirm that I will be seeking re election, either as an independent or under the umbrella of a political party.

"Even if the PDs do decide to reform in some shape or another, I will not be part of it."

- BILL BROWNE