Labour to stage controversial Euro vote today

The Labour Party will select its candidate today to stand in the Ireland South constituency for next year's European Parliament elections.

Controversy regarding the vote has surfaced recently regarding the venue of the poll and voting rights of members who have let their party subscriptions lapse.

Delegates will cast votes in the race between Senator Alan Kelly and Arthur J Spring at the convention in Cork, to be chaired by Dublin North West TD Roisin Shortall.

Mr Spring, 31, from Tralee, Co Kerry, is a nephew of former Labour Party leader and ex-Tánaiste Dick Spring, for whom he worked as parliamentary assistant.

He owns and operates a juice bar business in Tralee.

Mr Kelly, 33, of Portroe, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was elected to the Seanad in 2007 on his first attempt, representing the constituency of Tipperary North.

He is the party's tourism spokesman, Seanad spokesman on finance and a member of the Oireachtas Committee on European Scrutiny.