Fianna Fáil has postponed its planned selection convention for Mayo following delays in pushing through a reform of the party's organisation in the constituency.
The convention to select the candidates in the constituency was to have taken place on February 24th but it will not take place for a further four weeks, to allow time for all of the reforms to take effect.
Following the expulsion of Beverley Flynn TD from Fianna Fáil and a threatened revolt by some of her supporters still in the local organisation, party headquarters moved to reform the party structure in the constituency.
Last year former Fianna Fáil minister and MEP Gerry Collins oversaw the reduction of local branches by more than a quarter to fewer than 160 and the reduction by half of district divisions.
However, the registrations of a number of new branches or cumainn have yet to be completed to allow their representatives to vote in the selection convention.
Fianna Fáil general secretary Seán Dorgan said that "some work remains to be completed".
Once a stronghold of the party, returning four out of the six TDs in the two old constituencies, the five-seat Mayo constituency currently has only one sitting Fianna Fáil TD.
There are eight candidates seeking nominations: sitting TD John Carty; Councillors Margaret Adams, Frank Chambers, Al McDonnell, Johnny O'Malley; and Denis Gallagher, Dara Colleary and Michael Moffatt, the sons of three former TDs.
Joan Duignan adds: Fianna Fáil selected 28-year-old solicitor Thomas Byrne to contest the next general election in the new three-seat Meath East constituency along with long-serving Meath TD Mary Wallace. The old five-seat Meath constituency has been replaced by two three-seaters, Meath East and Meath West.