Brendan Howlin and Alan Kelly to discuss top post

Labour leadership contenders Alan Kelly and Brendan Howlin will today discuss a way of deciding who takes over from Joan Burton in a bid to avoid the initiation of a drawn-out contest.

The former ministers talked by phone yesterday and there is a growing feeling among party figures that moves are under way to ensure Mr Howlin takes over the leadership without a damaging public spat.

The former Public Expenditure Minister had said he would decide after the weekend on whether he would put himself forward for the leadership.