Lawlor election run unlikely, says FF candidate

Fianna Fáil party candidate for Dublin Mid-West Mr Des Kelly today said Liam Lawlor is unlikely to contest the next election as an independent candidate.

In his personal view, Mr Kelly said Lawlor would not contest the next election as he could not possibility win a seat. "He would not have enough support behind him to take a seat," said Mr Kelly.

Mr Kelly told ireland.comthat although he felt personally sorry for Lawlor and his family, the TD still had a number of questions to answer.

Lawlor, who is on the third day of his one-week prison sentence for failing to supply information sought by the Flood Tribunal, has reportedly not been canvassing in his constituency.

A constituency office spokeswoman for Lawlor said the Dublin West TD has "not decided one way or the other". He was likely to make a statement on the matter soon, she said.

Lawlor resigned from Fianna Fáil in 2000 after a party inquiry accused him of being "unco-operative and contradictory" in revealing his relationship to lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop.

Lawlor, who was re-elected as Fianna Fáil deputy for Dublin West in 1997, had been expected to stand for the party in the three-seat Dublin Mid-West constituency.

Cllr John Curran from Clondalkin and Mr Kelly from Lucan will contest the election for Fianna Fáil.

Mr Kelly said: "The official party position is that there will be no further candidates on the Fianna Fáil card. The ticket is closed".