Fianna Fail members rebel over gender quota rule

Fianna Fáil Longford members are set to hold a second selection convention after party headquarters dictated they choose the only female candidate for gender quota reasons.

Party headquarters had directed that the constituency put forward a female candidate, which put Connie Gerety-Quinn on the ticket without members having the opportunity to take a vote.

At Thursday’s selection meeting, the other two candidates — Cllr Seamus Butler and Pat O’Rourke — demanded that the 300 members present be allowed to vote.