Offaly councillor selected to contest General Election alongide sitting Fine Gael TDs

Thomasina Connell dramatically withdrew her nomination to contest the next general election for Fine Gael at the party's Laois-Offaly selection convention in Clonaslee on Monday night.

Ms Connell's decision came in the wake of the party's Executive Council directive that three candidates be selected for the constituency. 

The Portlaoise based solicitor told the Leinster Express that she thought "the directive would be different."

Her decision to withdraw led to the automatic selection of Charlie Flanagan, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy and Offaly Councillor John Clendennen as the party's candidates in the next election.

That means that Offaly will have two candidates on the ballot paper alongside a sitting Minister. History suggests two of the three will be elected.