Fianna Fail's director of local elections in Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown has resigned in protest at the party's decision not to ratify the candidacy of a former Progressive Democrats councillor, reports Frank McNally.
Mr Tom Kiernan had been angry at party headquarters' refusal to allow Mr Larry Lohan to run, after Mr Lohan joined Fianna Fail in the belief that he would be added to the ticket for the June 6th poll.
The party's local executive is appealing the decision, but Mr Lohan said yesterday he would run as an Independent Fianna Fail candidate and would take the party whip if elected.
Mr Lohan said last night he had been contacted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews - a TD in the constituency - "with a promise of whatever help I need."
Fianna Fail said it had accepted Mr Kiernan's resignation "with regret". An assurance that Mr Lohan's candidacy would not be ratified is understood to have been given at last week's crisis meeting between the Government partners, aimed at repairing relations in the wake of press revelations about the Taoiseach's representations in the Sheedy case.