The political consensus has anointed Fingal Cllr Ruth Coppinger of the Socialist Party as the favourite to take the Dublin West seat vacated when former Independent TD Patrick Nulty resigned earlier this year. The byelection takes place on May 23rd, the same day as the local and European elections.

Nulty was elected as a Labour Party candidate in the byelection caused by the death of former minister for finance Brian Lenihan in 2011, but lost the party whip soon afterwards for voting against budget cuts in the Dáil.

Sinn Féin claims its private polling shows Cllr Paul Donnelly, also based in Mulhuddart, performing well.

Fianna Fáil's Cllr David McGuinness won his selection convention this week, beating off competition from Anita Lenihan, Brian Lenihan's sister. Mr McGuinness is yet another candidate from Mulhuddart, and has a strong chance after coming second in the last byelection.

Athlete
Fine Gael is likely to run Senator Eamonn Coghlan, who is based in Porterstown. The former athlete's name is the only one due to go before next week's convention.

Labour has chosen party chairwoman Loraine Mulligan. A Siptu official, hers was the only name to go forward to convention last night.

The Green Party is running Roderic O’Gorman.

The real wild card is David Hall of the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation, who is running as an Independent. He canvassed for Mr Lenihan, but parted with him over the bank guarantee.