Senator Lynn Boylan is increasingly likely to be named as Sinn Féin's candidate in the upcoming Dublin Bay South byelection after she won the support of a key local branch of the party.
The constituency's sitting Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews announced on social media that Ms Boylan has received a nomination from the party's Inner City Cumann.
He wrote on Twitter: “Having worked with Lynn for many years it is an exciting time ahead”.
Ms Boylan replied: “Thanks a million to the cumann and members for the support.”
Party members who wish to put their names forward as a possible candidate must do so by Wednesday ahead of a convention on Friday that will officially unveil who will run.
Ms Boylan told The Irish Times that she was delighted to have been nominated to be a candidate by Cllr Daniel Keating and seconded by Mr Andrews.
“If selected I am more than ready to show the people of Dublin Bay South there is a real alternative to the Government parties and that alternative is Sinn Féin.”
Potential candidate
Sinn Féin Senator Fintan Warfield was mentioned as a potential candidate in the constituency. However, he confirmed on Wednesday morning that he will not be putting his name forward.
“My focus is on campaigning for Lynn Boylan, who I believe can win this election,” he said.
A Sinn Féin source said it is still possible that someone else will seek nomination, but at this point it’s viewed as “unlikely”.
On Monday Ms Boylan said she was still considering seeking the nomination for the byelection, which she said would be a “referendum on how the Government has dealt with the housing crisis”.
With Fine Gael candidate Cllr James Geoghegan, Fianna Fáil's Cllr Deirdre Conroy and Labour Party senator Ivana Bacik already selected and campaigning, Ms Boylan denied Sinn Féin is late entering the field.
The Green Party is set to choose between Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu and Cllr Claire Byrne when it selects its candidate on Friday, while Sarah Durcan, the Social Democrats' candidate in the constituency in last year's general election, is believed to be considering running in the byelection.
The byelection came about after the resignation of former Fine Gael minister Eoghan Murphy from politics.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has previously signalled that Fine Gael would prefer to have the byelection in July and it's understood this is not being resisted by Coalition partners Fianna Fáil.
