The spin doctors of Fine Gael have made a mess of things again
No matter what construction the party tries to put on it, the reality is that Jobs Minister Richard Bruton was not selected and has been added to the ticket, an ignominious turn of events by any political yardstick.
Not for the first time, election strategists at Fine Gael HQ, who issued a directive to pick two candidates, and Mr Bruton, who has represented the reshaped five-seat constituency for over three decades, have all ended up with a large dollop of egg on their faces.