Minister for Education Norma Foley has comfortably faced down a challenge from two poll-topping councillors to win the Fianna Fáil selection convention for the Kerry constituency.
Ms Foley won 282 out of 367 votes during the convention on Thursday evening.
Cllr Michael Sheehy was nominated to stand in the contest along with Cllr Michael Cahill, from Kenmare. Both councillors topped the poll in their local election areas in the local elections in June.
Mr Sheehy, Mayor of Tralee, is a son of the Kerry football legend Mikey Sheehy.
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Ms Foley, who was first elected to the Dáil in 2020, is also based in Tralee. She was appointed Minister for Education by party leader Micheál Martin when the Coalition government was formed, one of a small group who have been appointed to a senior ministerial office during their first term in the Dáil.
In the 2020 elections, Ms Foley’s running mate was Cllr Norma Moriarty, who is based in Waterville. Party sources say it is keen to have a candidate based in South Kerry, either in Killarney or Kenmare. Mr Cahill is based in Rossbeigh, near Glenbeigh on the Iveragh Peninsula.
The party’s national constituencies committee has recommended that only one candidate be selected at the convention. A second candidate is expected be added to the ticket in advance of the general election.
Mr Sheehy’s geographical proximity to Ms Foley may count against him in the five-seat constituency. The other sitting TDs are Independents Michael Healy Rae and Danny Healy Rae; Sinn Féin’s Pa Daly and Brendan Griffin of Fine Gael, who will be retiring from the Dáil once the general election is called.
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