Former Fianna Fáil TD Bobby Aylward has been selected to contest the upcoming Carlow-Kilkenny byelection for the party.

Kilkenny based Mr Aylward (59), a farmer, served as TD in the last Dáil but lost his seat in the 2011 general election.

At the selection convention in the Lord Bagenal Hotel in Leighhlinbridge, Co Carlow Mr Aylward beat councillors Peter 'Chap' Cleere and Jennifer Murnane O'Connor for a place on the ticket.

The byelection to fill the Dáil seat vacated by Phil Hogan upon his departure to the European Commission is excepted to take place in mid to late May, on the same day as the referendums on same-sex marriage and reducing the age of elgibility for candidates in a presidential election.

Mr Aylward is seen as an early frontrunner.