Three candidates confirmed for tonight's Fianna Fail convention

Three candidates have put their name forward for the Fianna Fail convention in the Bloomfield House Hotel in Mullingar tonight (Tuesday).

Cllrs Aengus O'Rourke and Frankie Keena and Vinny McCormack have all confirmed that they intend to seek the nomination.

Party headquarters yesterday (Monday) issued a directive that a candidate from the Athlone electoral area should be selected.

This has eliminated a number of potential candidates from Longford, as well as other possible runners from the wider Mullingar area.

McCormack's decision to contest the election came as a surprise, and in a statement, issued this afternoon, he said: “I decided to contest the by election for Fianna Fáil as I believe I can serve the constituency well as a community activist and politically engaged young man. I also in the best place geographically to ensure all areas of the constituency are well represented, approx. 10 miles from Athlone, Mullingar, Ballymahon and Moate.

“ I feel it is in the best interest of the party members of Fianna Fáil that I put forward my name,' he said.