By-election to take place on May 23

 May 23 has been confirmed as the date for the Longford Westmeath by-election.

The by-election for the vacant seat brought about by the death of Fine Gael TD Nicky McFadden will take place on the same day as European and local elections.

Fine Gael are the bookies' favourites to retain seat following Cllr Gabrielle McFadden's announcent at the weekend that she will seek her party's nomination to replace her late sister.

Cllr McFadden said that she promised Nicky that she would run for her seat.

"Nicky did ask me, when she was disagnosed (with motor neuron disease), if I'd help here and if she had to give up her seat would I run.

"That was a promise I made. We made a lot of promises as a family and we kept every one, this is the last one," she said at the weekend.

"I put my name forward for convention. If I'm not successful, I'm not successful but I'll have kept my promise."