FF's Cregan retires as colleague favoured with front-bench place

Fianna Fáil's John Cregan has become the latest TD to bow out of politics before the General Election campaign begins.

The Limerick TD said he had been willing to contest the campaign in the hope the party could win two seats.

However he said that following the promotion of his constituency colleague Niall Collins to the Fianna Fáil front bench, he felt the playing field was no longer level.

He said the new party leader Micheál Martin "had sent out a very clear signal that he was strongly favouring one candidate over another".