Two more Fianna Fáil TDs, Cork East’s Ned O’Keeffe and Dublin Northwest’s Noel Ahern, announced their decision not to contest the next election tonight.
Mr O’Keeffe made the announcement at tonight’s selection convention when his son Kevin, a sitting member of Cork County Council was selected to replace him on the ticket in the four seat constituency.
Mr O’Keeffe senior attributed the Fianna Fáil drop in the polls to the party’s dalliance with corporate Ireland saying that it had neglected the ordinary people.
Mr O’Keeffe’s decision to step down leaves Fianna Fáil with an even greater challenge in what is increasing looking alike a rather forlorn hope to hold its two seats.
Fellow sitting Fianna Fáil TD Michael Ahern was also selected to run last night and he paid tribute to Mr O’Keeffe whom he said he had worked well with over the 28 years together in Dáil Éireann for the benefit of the people in north east Cork.
Earlier Noel Ahern, announced he would also not contest the upcoming general election.
His decision means that Fianna Fáil will run only one candidate in the three seater constituency, the current Minister for Communications Energy, Equality, Gaeltacht Affairs and Transportation, Pat Carey.
It was unclear prior to the selection convention whether the party’s headquarters would instruct for one or two candidates to be selected.
In the end a potential standoff between the two TDs was avoided when Mr Ahern, brother to the former Taoiseach Bertie, announced that he would not seek a nomination.
The selection convention took place 8pm in the Ardmore Hotel in Finglas, Co Dublin.
Approximately 60 delegates were present, although there was, in the end, no need for a vote on which of the standing TDs would be chosen, as many had expected there might be.
Mr Ahern has been a TD since 1992 and makes his announcement only a few weeks after his brother also decided not to contest the next general election.