A former president of Sligo Chamber of Commerce, Mr Jim Lawlor, has been selected to contest the Sligo-Leitrim constituency for the Progressive Democrats in the forthcoming general election.
After his selection yesterday, Mr Lawlor said the people of Sligo and Leitrim had not benefitted from the "so-called economic boom" while rural depopulation and rising unemployment were killing towns and villages. He said his party had carried out a survey which found that people were looking for a new approach in politics, particularly on crime and taxation.