PDs alter rules to elect leader

SENATORS Fiona O’Malley and Ciaran Cannon will contest the race to succeed Mary Harney as leader of the Progressive Democrats.

However, the party continues to lose senior figures, with confirmation that the general secretary, John Higgins, is to resign after a decade in the position.

The general council of the PDs met in Dublin over the weekend to discuss the leadership and other issues. Ms Harney has made it clear she does not want to remain as leader for the long term. She returned to the role only after Michael McDowell, the party’s leader going into the general election, lost his seat and retired.