Nominations close for vacant FG leadership

The nominations for the position of leader of Fine Gael, vacated by Mr Michael Noonan after the party’s disastrous election performance…

The nominations for the position of leader of Fine Gael, vacated by Mr Michael Noonan after the party’s disastrous election performance, have now closed.

The four nominations are Mr Gay Mitchell, from Dublin South Central, Mr Enda Kenny from Mayo, Mr Phil Hogan from Carlow/Kilkenny and Mr Richard Bruton from Dublin North East.

Their fate will be decided by the 49 members of the Parliamentary Party at a meeting tomorrow afternoon.

However, this process has come under strong criticism from many within the Fine Gael organisation, from grassroots supporters, to defeated General Election candidates up to members of the National Executive Council.

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They complained that the 25,000 members of the party are being "disenfranchised" by not having a say in the leadership election process and this was "sowing the seeds of future defeat".

In February, the party's ardfheis voted to create a leadership electoral college, with 50 per cent of the votes to be held by TDs, senators and MEPs, 30 per cent by constituency organisations and the rest by councillors.

Around 100 members of the party are meeting tonight in Dublin's Gresham Hotel to discuss their strategy in reference to the vote tomorrow.