Fianna Fáil picks Mary O’Rourke’s son for by-election

The former minister Mary O’Rourke is likely to find herself back on the campaign trail after her son, Aengus O’Rourke, was chosen by Fianna Fáil to contest a Dáil seat in next month’s by-election in Longford-Westmeath.

The Athlone councillor was selected after his cousin, Anita Lenihan — a sister of the late Brian Lenihan — was beaten in her attempt to represent the party in Dublin West at a convention on Monday night.

Mr O’Rourke is the latest candidate from one of the country’s most famous dynasties and was chosen at a convention last night, immediately criticising the current Fine Gael-Labour government as “astonishingly out of touch”.