Fianna Fáil yesterday announced the selection of schoolteacher Margaret Conlon as the party's general election candidate for the Cavan/Monaghan constituency.
Originally from the Lough Egish area, Ms Conlon is currently assistant principal at the St Louis convent in Monaghan town and is chairwoman of the Monaghan Dáil Comhairle Ceanntair.
Fianna Fáil holds three of the five seats in the constituency and Ms Conlon's selection follows weeks of speculation as to who would join Minister of State Brendan Smith on the party's ticket in the five-seater. The Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, is automatically returned.
Dublin-based senior counsel Hugh Mohan, who is originally from Monaghan, had expressed an interest in running but told party headquarters some weeks ago that he had changed his mind.
Soundings had been made more recently to Independent TD Paudge Connolly to run for the party, but he declined when firm commitments on the future of Monaghan hospital were not forthcoming.
The selection of an unelected candidate to contest the election is causing some disquiet among local party cumainn.
It is understood that businessman Raymond Aughey, Threemilehouse county councillor Benny Kieran, former garda Robbie Gallagher and Cllr Seamus Coyle were interested in winning the nomination. All had sought a guarantee from party headquarters about the future of Monaghan hospital, but none was given.
Ms Conlon said yesterday that it was a great honour to be asked to stand. She would be working hard on the Monaghan hospital issue, but she had received no promises. "I believe that services must be retained at the hospital until the new regional hospital is built," she added.