The Galway West Fianna Fáil selection convention had to be called off last night after delegates refused to agree that only three candidates would go forward.
Minister of State for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen declared the event at the Radisson Hotel in Galway city a "non-convention" shortly after 7pm, by which stage the proceedings had descended into chaos.
Minister for the Gaeltacht Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister of State Frank Fahey, Cllr John Connolly, Cllr Mary Hoade, Cllr Séamus Walsh and Val Hanley had all been nominated to go forward at the convention.
However, at the outset of the convention, Mr Killeen announced that Cllr Connolly and Mr Hanley wished to withdraw their nominations.
Mr Killeen then announced that the constituencies committee of the party's national executive had instructed that three candidates were to be selected at the convention.
The four remaining candidates were asked to leave the room while the voting took place, but after their departure, uproar broke out.
Delegates complained bitterly that they had not been informed in advance how many candidates were going forward and they described the decision to send only three people forward as "another diktat from headquarters".
Mr Killeen tried without success to restore order to the extremely heated proceedings.
"I think we need to consider whether we have one or two Fianna Fáils. If you take the view that the national executive is a different party, I can't stop you and that is a very serious view to take. In fact, it's a view that undermines the integrity of the party," he said. Amid roars of "listen to the grassroots" and "call it off", Mr Killeen explained that under the rules decided at the Fianna Fáil Ardfheis, his only option was to allow the delegates to select three candidates.
At this point, John Joe Halloran, a Fianna Fáil activist from Clonbur, jumped on to the stage and grabbed the microphone from the Minister.
After he made some remarks on the US military planes passing through Shannon, Mr Killeen grabbed the microphone back while Mr Halloran continued to shout from the stage.
Mr Killeen said at that stage, the only thing he could do was declare the proceeding a non-convention. The room erupted into cheers and the delegates stood up and left.
Mr Ó Cuív left the hotel straight away while Mr Fahey said he had no comment.
Cllr Séamus Walsh said he was not surprised at what had happened as the delegates who were doing all the work on the ground felt disenfranchised.
Cllr Mary Hoade said that while she was surprised that the convention had not gone ahead, due consideration had to be given to the delegates on the ground.
A spokesperson for the national executive said it did not yet know whether another convention would be organised.
