Fianna Fáil's Barry Cowen wants meeting to discuss ‘alarming’ by-election results 

Barry Cowen has called for an urgent meeting following Fianna Fáil's poor performance in Friday's by-election

A Fianna Fáil TD has called for a special meeting of the party following its poor showing in the Dublin Bay South by-election.

In an email to party members, Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen said that while the result was “alarming” it was not “hugely surprising.” 

The Laois-Offaly TD, who served as Agriculture Minister for less than a month last summer, also called last year’s general election performance “dismal” in his email.

“I know it is considered better not to have an election post mortem too soon after the event but such a delay is simply inexplicable at this stage,” he wrote.

Mr Cowen said it is now “imperative” that the party's performance in the by-election and General Election comes “under the microscope” of the parliamentary party.

“By-elections offer opportunities for an electorate to send messages.

“It is good manners to respond to these messages.” 

Fianna Fáil’s candidate Deirdre Conroy got less than 5% of the votes in Friday’s by-election.

Last January, Mr Cowen said he did not believe that the Taoiseach will lead Fianna Fáil into the next general election.

Micheál Martin sacked Mr Cowen just weeks after his appointment to the role of Agriculture Minister last summer after it emerged he had been convicted for drink driving in 2016.