Mary Hanafin addition angers candidate

A councillor selected as Fianna Fáil’s Dún Laoghaire candidate for the general election has hit out at headquarters’ decision to add ousted ex-minister Mary Hanafin to the ticket, saying it “dramatically reduces” the party’s chances of winning a seat.

Cormac Devlin issued the warning, privately shared by a number of Fianna Fáil TDs, as Ms Hanafin refused to rule out a potential future leadership challenge should she make a remarkable return to the Dáil.

On Monday evening, Mr Devlin won the hotly contested selection convention by 68 votes to 64 on the second count, after transfers from defeated candidate councillor Kate Feeney took him over the line.