Fianna Fail has chosen a councillor and insurance broker to contest the Dublin North by-election following the resignation of the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Ray Burke.
Cllr Michael Kennedy (51), who has represented the Malahide area on Fingal council for the past seven years, beat off the close challenge of a nurse, Ms Catherine Clarke (33), on the second count, by 39 votes to 35. The third candidate was a barrister, Mr Eoin Martin of Swords, in his mid-40s.
Cllr Kennedy, a former president of the Comhairle Ceanntar of Dublin North and a member of the party for almost 20 years, said he was "confident that the people of Dublin North will endorse the work of this Government and my contribution to the constituency", in the election which is expected to take place in March.
Fine Gael earlier last week chose a Lusk councillor, Mr Philip Jenkinson, who ran in the general election in June, while Labour chose Cllr Sean Ryan who lost the seat in the last election. The PDs and DL have yet to decide if they will run candidates.