Woods fails to get re-elected to FF post

The Minister for Education, Dr Woods, has failed to get re-elected as a vice-president of Fianna Fβil despite holding the position…

The Minister for Education, Dr Woods, has failed to get re-elected as a vice-president of Fianna Fβil despite holding the position for almost a decade.

The election for five vice-presidential positions was held at the party's ardfheis at the weekend. There were six candidates for five positions.

Mr Pat O'Meara, a county councillor from Thurles, topped the poll in the first count after running a vigorous campaign. However, Dr Woods was last of the six candidates winning just 3.5 per cent of the vote.

The other four vice-presidents who were re-elected to the positions, were Mr David Andrews, former minister for foreign affairs; Mr Gerard Collins MEP; Ms S∅le de Valera, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, and Mr John Wilson, former Tβnaiste.

READ MORE

Two thousand, two hundred and twenty-seven people voted in the election.

Elections were also held for the Committee of 15, the people who are directly elected to the party's national executive which has over 90 members.

The 15 elected included a number of outgoing members. They were: Ms Kathryn Byrne of Dublin; Mr Dara Calleary, Mayo; Mr Timmy Dooley, Clare; Mr Iarla Duffy, Co Mayo; Ms Geraldine Feeney, Sligo; Ms Mary Hoade, Co Galway; Mr Donagh Mark Killilea, Co Galway; Ms Bernie Lalor, Co Cork; Mr Gear≤id Lohan, Co Kildare; Ms Lisa McDonald, Dublin; Ms Margaret McGinley, Co Donegal; Mr Eamonn McGowan, Co Westmeath, and Mr Michael Smyth, Monaghan, who topped the poll.

The new members are Mr Peter Carlin, Co Donegal, and Mr Donal Shanahan, Co Tipperary.