Leo Varadkar has passed on an opportunity to correct party sources who are briefing that Kate O’Connell will never run again for Fine Gael in Dublin Bay South. “Unfortunately she wasn't able to hold her seat in the 2020 election. “You know, nobody should think that they're entitled to be on a ticket or to get a nomination. “A by-election is very different, you need 50pc, and you need to be getting the transfers to do that. I think James Geoghegan, as a first time candidate, getting 26pc of the vote was a really good result for him.

Source: Irish Independent July 12, 2021 15:00 UTC