Fine Gael convention takes place tonight

 

Three Fine Gael representatives have put their names forward to contest the upcoming General Election, with a decision to be finalised at convention tonight in Monaghan.

The names put forward are current Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation Heather Humphreys; former TD and current Senator Joe O'Reilly; and Cavan County Councillor Peter McVitty.

The convention takes place at the Four Seasons Hotel, starting 9pm, with no directive expected from Fine Gael party HQ regarding the number of candidates to be allowed to stand.

If all nominees are ratified to contest the next election it would follow the tact taken by opposition party Fianna Fail in the newly realigned five-seat Cavan-Monaghan constituency, who have opted to run three candidates in TD's Brendan Smith, Niamh Smyth, and Senator Robbie Gallagher.

In the last election Minister Humphreys topped the poll with more than 12,000 first preference votes. In the same election, Sen O'Reilly lost out narrowly to Deputy Smyth for the final seat.

Local businessman Cllr McVitty, first elected to the Council in 1999, last ran for election in 2011 when he earned almost 4,000 first preference votes, before his elimination in Count 5.