Parties to select Tipperary election candidates

The three main parties will select their candidates for the forthcoming by-election in Tipperary South in the next week. The election, which is expected to take place on either Thursday, June 22nd, or Thursday, June 29th, has been made necessary by the sudden death of Labour Party TD Mr Michael Ferris in March. The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, is expected to move the writ for the by-election, in the Dail next week.

The first party to make its formal selection will be Fine Gael, which is expected to choose Senator Tom Hayes, from Golden, tomorrow night. The selection convention is at 8.30 p.m. in the Cahir House Hotel, Cahir. Also going forward are Cllr Jack Crowe from Dundrum and Cllr Tom Wood from Cashel.

The convention will be chaired by Mr Michael Noonan TD and addressed by the leader of the party, Mr John Bruton.

Fianna Fail will hold its selection convention on Friday in the Hotel Minella in Clonmel. Nominations will be accepted until Friday. The director of elections in the poll will be the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Noel Davern.

The Labour Party is to hold its selection convention next week in Tipperary town, with the only candidate going forward, Ms Ellen Ferris, widow of the late Mr Ferris.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party will select its candidate in Donegal North East for the next general election. This selection takes place in the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny tomorrow evening. Mr Jackie McNair, a community activist from Letterkenny, is the only name going forward.