Debate on FG HQ powers deferred

ANGRY debate was avoided at the conference when controversial proposals to give party headquarters greater control over election candidates were deferred until the autumn.

Fine Gael’s executive council had put forward a number of motions for consideration on Saturday morning which, if passed, would have tightened headquarters’ grip on candidate selection.

But headquarters, perhaps recognising the potential for divisive debate at a time when the party was keen to show a united front, arranged for the motions to be deferred.