Labour's Cork East hopefuls

Councillors John Mulvihill and Seán Sherlock were selected at a Labour meeting last night to contest the next general election for the party in the four-seat Cork East constituency.

Cobh-based Mr Mulvihill, who was in Dáil Éireann from 1992 to 1997, was joined on the ticket by Mr Sherlock, from the Mallow area, who will be contesting his first general election. Mr Sherlock's father, Joe, is stepping down at the end of the current Dáil term after almost four decades in local and national politics.

Last night's selection convention in Midleton was attended by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, who tonight will attend the party's selection meeting in Cork South West, where Senator Michael McCarthy is widely favoured to be selected.