Gay Mitchell has been chosen as Fine Gael's candidate for the presidential election in October.
An estimated 500 Fine Gael delegates gathered at a North Dublin hotel yesterday afternoon to select the party's candidate after hearing impassioned speeches made on behalf of the three presidential hopefuls – former European Parliament president Pat Cox and MEPs Mairead McGuinness and Mr Mitchell.
Two counts were held with Pat Cox eliminated in the first one. While no exact figures were forthcoming it is believed Mr Mitchell won by 54 per cent of the vote compared to Ms McGuinness' 46 per cent.
Thanking the Fine Gael delegates for selecting him, Mr Mitchell said he was "greatly honoured" to have been chosen to represent the party in the forthcoming election.
"We will take this campaign to every corner of the country, " he said. "We now move to the next stage."
Mr Mitchell also thanked Mr Cox and Ms McGuinness and said that there had been no bitterness between any of the candidates during the campaign.
Commenting on the selection of Mr Mitchell, Minister for the Arts Jimmy Deenihan, who had proposed Ms McGuiness, said "Fair play to Gay, he won it fair and square."
Gay Mitchell was proposed by Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald, and seconded by Dan Neville TD while others, including former taoiseach John Bruton had also nominated him for the convention.