Legal action against FG taken

A PROSPECTIVE Fine Gael candidate for the local elections in June has initiated legal action against her party after failing to be selected to run in a Dublin constituency.

Naja Regan (25), daughter of Fine Gael senator Eugene Regan, began action in the High Court yesterday against Fine Gael after a convention resulted in her not being selected to run in Dún Laoghaire, south Dublin.

Ms Regan had sought the party nomination along with sitting councillors John Bailey, Mary Mitchell-O’Connor and Tom O’Higgins.

A convention was held last week to select the candidates. Up to 300 party members attended and were given voting papers and the four candidates were officially nominated, gave their speeches and signed the party pledge.

But before a vote could be taken, the convention was told the executive council had sent a directive telling them they had to choose the three sitting Fine Gael councillors to run in the election.

The announcement was followed by two hours of heated debate, but the directive could not be overturned. Councillors Bailey, Mitchell O’Connor and O’Higgins had earlier written to the Fine Gael executive council requesting that it issue the directive.

Mr Bailey was elected to the council in 2004, as was Ms Mitchell-O’Connor, who left the PDs to join Fine Gael in 2007. Mr O’Higgins was co-opted onto the council to replace Senator Regan when he took his seat in the Seanad. Ms Justice Mary Laffoy gave counsel on behalf of Ms Regan, Gerard Hogan SC, leave to serve notice for short service on Fine Gael. The case will come before the court again on Friday.