Fianna Fáil confirm only one candidate to be ratified at Roscommon-Galway convention

Only one candidate will be ratified at the Fianna Fáil selection convention for Roscommon-Galway to be held next week, a party spokesperson confirmed this evening, Thursday.

P. Burke, a member of the party's National Executive, confirmed to the Herald that instructions issued this evening, Thursday, from Fianna Fáil Headquarters and the National Constituencies Committee is that only one candidate will be selected at the convention.

Mr Burke said that Roscommon-Galway delegates would now be informed of that decision. However, it's not known at this stage if the party will add another candidate to the ticket.

Senator Eugene Murphy and Dr. Martin Daly are two of the five nominees who have officially confirmed their intention to contest the convention for a place on the party’s General Election ticket.

Earlier today, Castlerea councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice, who was also nominated, withdrew his name from the race.

Another nominee, Malachy Hand, told the Roscommon Herald this evening that he would be discussing whether to contest the convention with “party members, family members and indeed supporters over the coming days”.

Mr Hand, a 2019 Local Election candidate, said he wished to thank all those party members in the constituency for nominating him to contest the convention.

It’s not clear yet if the other nominee, Cllr John Keogh, has made a decision to put his name forward for the convention, which takes place on Thursday, October 3rd, in the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon Town.

It’s expected that a ballot of members to select the candidate will take place first at the convention between 6 and 8 p.m., before the rest of the proceedings gets underway at 8 p.m..