FIANNA Fail is to reorganise the [party in Wicklow. Instead of being elected by local party members, the senior officer board will be chosen by the national executive of Fianna Fail from a panel of names nominated by each of the 63 cumainn (branches) in the constituency.
The party has a troubled history in Wicklow and suffered a humiliating defeat in a by election last June by the independent candidate, Ms Mildred Fox.
In the aftermath of the by election there were allegations that some local Fianna Fail activists had failed to give the party candidate, Senator Dick Roche, their full support and had even worked against him.
The officer boards of the constituency were stood down and a commission established under the chairman of the parliamentary party, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, to examine local problems and make recommendations.
The commission's report was adopted unanimously at a meeting of the national executive in Leinster House this week.
The report recommended that annual general meetings be held simultaneously by all Wicklow cumainn on Tuesday March 5th, chaired by senior party figures from outside the constituency. These meetings will elect the cumann officer board and choose delegates for the next convention to select Dail candidates.
Cumainn will be entitled to submit names for a panel from which the national executive will choose the five member senior officer board to run the affairs of Fianna Fail in Wicklow until the next general election.
The senior officer board will be chaired by a top party figure from outside the constituency. Among the names being mentioned is the former treasurer of Fianna Fail, Mr Ritchie Healy from Meath.
A director of organisation will be chosen by the party leadership in consultation with the new officer board. This person will also be director of elections in the general election when the party hopes to regain a second seat in this five seat constituency.