Keaveney move leaves half of local FF party ‘in revolt’

Veteran Fianna Fáil TD Michael Kitt has said he was “very surprised” that former Labour TD Colm Keaveney was joining his party and admitted that half his local party was in revolt over the decision, which he found out about from local radio.

The announcement is a major boost for party leader Micheál Martin, bringing the number of Fianna Fáil TDs in the Dáil back up to the 2011 general election level of 20.

However, he will have to handle a backlash from the Galway East constituency, some of whom feel the former Labour chairman was parachuted over the heads of local councillors to run in the 2016 general election.