Fianna Fail impasse continues as NCC talks fail to deliver breakthrough

Fianna Fail’s National Constituencies Committee (NCC) have given no firm indication about revisiting last month’s controversial Longford selection convention.

Talks with the party’s local Comhairle Dáil Ceantair (CDC) in Dublin last night were described as “positive” despite both sides failing to reach any form of compromise.

They were held to discuss the ongoing fallout from the party’s October 29 convention which saw Connie Gerety-Quinn put forward in order to meet new gender quota rules.

Pat O’Rourke, who had been vying for the party’s nomination alongside Ms Gerety-Quinn and Cllr Seamus Butler, was present at last night’s meeting.

He revealed there had been a delay to proceedings over his attendance due to his other role as local CDC secretary.

After a brief exchange, Mr O’Rourke was allowed in to address NCC members and the party’s general secretary, Sean Dorgan.

“What we have here is an imposed candidate which has energised people so much,” he said.

“I said that Longford is a small county, but a very proud county and what this is is local democracy versus Mount Street (Fianna Fail headquarters) direct rule and nobody wants that.”

Mr O’Rourke said he was quietly optimistic party bosses would look upon calls for a reconvened convention favourably.

“Politics is about trying to achieve solutions, but what is in place at the minute is not acceptable,” he added.