Ms Ellen Ferris was confirmed last night as the Labour Party candidate in the South Tipperary by-election. She will be attempting to retain the seat held for 10 years by her husband, Mr Michael Ferris, who died suddenly in March.
Ms Ferris was elected unopposed at a Labour selection convention in Tipperary town. She told delegates that while she wished the circumstances were different, she was looking forward to a "hard-fought battle".
She accused the Government of failing to deliver jobs and investment. "We have empty factories across the constituency. These are top-quality facilities, yet the political will to bring investors to the constituency just isn't there," she claimed.
Labour was the last of the major parties to select its candidate for the election, which is likely to be held on June 22nd or 23rd. Fianna Fail chose a county councillor, Mr Barry O'Brien, while Senator Tom Hayes is the Fine Gael candidate. Mr Seamus Healy of the Workers and Unemployed Action Group is also a strong contender.
The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, told last night's convention that voters could send a strong message to the Government that people were "sickened" at the behaviour being exposed.
The message from the electorate, he said, should be "that the era of corporate funding is over and that the public will not tolerate further delay and evasion from the Taoiseach."
Mr Quinn is to move the writ for the election in the Dail today.
