As Fianna Fail delegates gather on Sunday to select their candidate for the Donegal South West by-election, according to one minister they are wasting their time.
During his now infamous address to the McGill Summer School in Glenties Minister Noel Dempsey said that grass roots party members would be wrong in thinking it was they that chose the candidate.
That view was echoed by the Tanaiste, yesterday addressing the Dail she declared the party had a strong candidate selected despite the selection convention having yet to take place.
Minister Dempsey spoke on the issue in July:
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