Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has sharply reprimanded Minister for the Gaeltacht Eamon Ó Cuív for orchestrating last month's revolt by Fianna Fáil Galway West party members, who objected to instructions from the party's headquarters.
The FF selection convention, chaired by Minister of State Tony Killeen, was aborted after delegates bridled when they were told to select only three general election candidates.
The Galway West comhairle Dáil cheanntair has now sought a meeting with party general secretary Seán Dorgan in an attempt to reconvene the convention.
The party's national constituencies committee ruled last week that the two sitting TDs in the constituency, Mr Ó Cuív and Minister of State Frank Fahey, would be selected automatically and other contenders would be "interviewed".
The Taoiseach and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, who chairs the party's National Constituencies Committee, were both furious with Mr Ó Cuív, blaming him for organising much of the dissent. Unusually, Mr Ahern expressed his unhappiness directly to the Galway West Minister last week, several sources have said.
"There was no doubt but that the people who were talking loudest at the convention were Ó Cuív's people. Cabinet ministers should not behave like this," one source told The Irish Times.
Mr Cowen's annoyance was still evident when he chaired last week's Dublin South East selection convention when he pointedly referred to the need for the party to do its business "with dignity". Furthermore, another party source said, "he made the point that members had to respect the authority of the ardchomhairle.
"Nobody listening to him was in any doubt that he was talking about Galway West."
The Galway West comhairle Dáil cheanntair agreed that headquarters should be asked to hold the convention again, after a heated meeting attended by up to 300 party members on Monday night. Galway West TD and junior Minister Frank Fahey said yesterday he would "personally favour" being selected by party delegates at a convention, rather than automatic selection by headquarters. "However, I do acknowledge that we have party rules and that agreement should be reached," he told The Irish Times.
Party strategists believe Fianna Fáil should run three candidates in the fiercely contested constituency, though they are keen to keep the ticket open until Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats make their final choices.
It is understood the comhairle Dáil cheanntair delegation intends to suggest that three candidates be selected at a reconvened convention and that a fourth candidate be added by the national executive.
The constituency's additional contenders last weekend were councillors John Connolly, Mary Hoade and Séamus Walsh and former councillor and member of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Val Hanley.
