Fine Gael senator Mr Tom Hayes was selected last night as the party's candidate in the forthcoming by-election in Tipperary South. Fine Gael says the election will be the first major test of the Government's standing in the light of recent revelations at the Flood and Moriarty tribunals, and it is determined to win a second seat in the constituency.
About 300 party supporters attended the selection convention in Cahir, at which Mr Hayes defeated the only other candidate, a councillor, Mr Jack Crowe. A third candidate, County Council member Mr Tom Wood, withdrew from the race.
Mr Hayes said the party did not have enough core voters to win the election, but he predicted he would attract sufficient cross-party support to take the seat. A farmer from Golden, he was elected to the agricultural panel of the Seanad for the first time in 1997. Aged 48, he has been a member of South Tipperary County Council since 1991.
The by-election was caused by the sudden death in March of Labour TD Mr Michael Ferris. His widow, Ms Ellen Ferris, is to seek the party's nomination at a selection convention on Tuesday. Fianna Fail holds its convention tonight. The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, is expected to move the writ for the by-election in the Dail next Wednesday, with Thursday, June 22nd, considered the most likely date for the election to take place.
