Tipperary Fine Gael has no candidate chosen if snap election called

If the government calls a snap election in the wake of the Fianna Fail vote of no confidence in Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald, then that could cause problems for the Tipperary branch of Fine Gael.

That's because the branch is in the middle of a campaign to choose a candidate - or candidates - for the next election - and the convention is scheduled for February.

As one of the seven seeking the nomination, Clonmel councillor Michael Murphy said that will pose a significant challenge for Fine Gael in the constituency.

The party held the latest of its election hustings in Nenagh on Thursday night and the final one is scheduled for Clonmel on December 4.

Events may have overtaken that timeline in the meantime.

Cllr Murphy said the constituency branch obviously hadn't envisaged such a scenario.

"If an election is called then we have no candidate selected. This is very much uncharted territory for the party in Tipperary. Any candidate would like to come through a convention and then build up a base so this could be a huge challenge", Cllr Murphy said.

In the past the party would have had an outgoing TD who would be ready to run but following the defeat of both Tom Hayes and Noel Coonan in the last election, that is not the case this time.

However he expected that if the taoiseach calls an election then the National Executive will convene a convention within twenty four to forty eight hours. 

"We would not be totally unprepared", he added.

When the convention is called, the nine hundred plus members will choose between seven candidates - Garret Ahearn, Noel Coonan, Cllr Michael Fitzgerald, Cllr Mary 'Hanna'  Hourigan, Shelagh Marshall, Cllr Michael Murphy and Mary Newman.

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