Labour’s hopefuls: candidates for leadership and deputy leadership

Joan Burton: leadership contender

The 65-year-old is the runaway favourite although there are still 4½ weeks to go to the poll. She is deputy leader of the party, having won a popular vote of the membership in 2007, and is Minister for Social Protection.

Outspoken, articulate and very political in her outlook, Burton, a former finance spokeswoman, was disappointed to have lost out to Brendan Howlin for the portfolio of Public Expenditure and Reform in 2011. However, as Minister for Social Protection she has overseen some very significant cuts in welfare and benefit without significantly tarnishing her reputation.

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Seán Sherlock: the Cork East TD succeeded his father, Joe, and is a different type of politician. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

She built up a reputation as a defender of Labour values in the face of Troika pressure and also resisted efforts to impose cuts on her Department. Some Ministers, including from Labour, viewed it as a lack of collegiality but it played well with the party membership.

Her differences with Eamon Gilmore have been playing out for more than three years. (Harry McGee)

Alex White: leadership contender

A 55-year-old barrister and former RTÉ producer who represents Dublin South.

His roots are on the capital’s northside, where his grandfather was an active trade unionist and Labour Party candidate.

Four of his 10 years in RTÉ were spent producing The Gay Byrne Show. He was also vice-president of the public sector region of SIPTU.

At the Bar he specialised in employment and labour law and became a senior counsel in 2010.

He also lectured on employment law and media studies.

He became a South Dublin county councillor in 2004 and completed a term as a Senator. He was elected to the Dáil in the 2011 General Election. He was promoted quickly, becoming Minister of State for Primary Care in 2012 after Róisín Shortall’s departure.

He described himself as Labour's "point man" in delicate negotiations with coalition partners Fine Gael on the contentious X case legislation. (Mary Minihan)

Alan Kelly: deputy leadership contender

Has been extraordinarily successful in his short political career. Won his elections to the Seanad, the European Parliament and the Dáil on the first time of asking. Tough and obdurate in style, he is seen as a can-do politician.

Has brought forward new schemes – such as citybike schemes in cities other than Dublin – despite having zero budget. Has also been innovative in the areas of public transport and taxis as a Minister of State in the Department of Transport. (Harry McGee)

Seán Sherlock: deputy leadership contender

The Cork East TD succeeded his father, Joe, and is a different type of politician. Modern, articulate and moderate, Sherlock is regarded as able but can tend to be very cautious and takes few chances.

He has been a high-profile Minister of State with responsibility for innovation, research and skills. However, the highly technical nature of the brief has perhaps not given as much purchase with the public as party officials might have liked. Soft-spoken and affable but can be steely. (Harry McGee)

Michael McCarthy: deputy leadership contender

The affable TD for Cork South West is another Labour politician defending a vulnerable seat. McCarthy is chairman of the Oireachtas environment committee and is very popular among party colleagues. He was the second last to declare in the deputy leadership contest and may prove to be the dark horse.

Like the other three in the contest, his constituency is predominantly rural.

Has been increasingly used as a spokesman to defend Labour Party positions and policies in government. (Harry McGee)

Ciara Conway: deputy leadership contender

Ciara Conway is honest, likeable and articulate. Defending a marginal seat in Waterford, she will have her work cut out to stave off the challenge from Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil in the next election.

She was elected to the Dáil in 2011 and has been a prominent advocate on social and women's issues. Conway was one of eight signatories of the letter calling for Eamon Gilmore's resignation. She has said that if elected, she will not seek ministerial office. (Harry McGee)