Varadkar defends Fine Gael's by-election performance despite losing seat

The Tánaiste and Fine Gael party leader said even he is not automatically entitled to a place on a Fine Gael ticket, in what was seen as a thinly-veiled attack on former TD Kate O'Connell

Fine Gael candidate James Geoghegan and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar arriving at the count centre for the Dublin Bay South by-election last week. File Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Leo Varadkar has defended Fine Gael's performance in the Dublin Bay South by-election, despite the fact that candidate James Geoghegan was unable to retain the seat vacated by former housing minister Eoghan Murphy.

Mr Varadkar also defended the party's selection measures, adding that even he is not entitled to an automatic place on a Fine Gael ticket, which may be interpreted as a thinly-veiled attack on former TD Kate O'Connell.

Ms O'Connell did not put her name forward to contest the by-election for Fine Gael after, she said, it was made clear to her that she was “not the desired candidate”.

Former Fine Gael TD Kate O'Connell. Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins

It has also been suggested that Fine Gael is viewed as a cold house for women, an allegation which Mr Varadkar and others in the party have repeatedly denied.

Asked to address reports that those within the party believe Ms O'Connell will not be welcomed back ahead of the next general election, Mr Varadkar said: "She chose not to put her name forward for the selection convention for the by-election.

"Any party member, or indeed anybody who's not a party member as well, can put forward their name at the selection convention.

"I've been elected four times now to the Dáil, and once to the council. I had to go through selection too, and I still do, and I'm the party leader. 

Nobody should think that they're entitled to be on a ticket or get a nomination. Everyone in our party has to go before our party members make their case and that would apply to everyone."

He said Ms O'Connell won a Dáil seat in 2016 with "huge support from the party", but had unfortunately failed to retain the seat in last year's election.

Mr Varadkar added that as a first-time candidate Mr Geoghegan had achieved a "really good result" in getting 26% of the vote.

I think the analysis at the outset that somehow this was ours to lose or was in the bag for Fine Gael was always flawed one," said Mr Varadkar.

"He [Mr Geoghegan] will have an opportunity if he goes forward again. I think to do even better next time, and I predict the next time ​he is the poll-topper."