As well as losing the two by-elections last week, Fianna Fáil had a third election loss in the battle for the seat on the agriculture committee in the European Parliament.

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú lost out to fellow Renew Europe party member Ciaran Mullooly in the Irish head-to-head battle for a seat on the committee.

The Dealer has heard that there was plenty of manoeuvring behind the scenes to get the votes mobilised, with Mullooly aided and abetted by wing man Pat O’Rourke, himself a veteran of several ICMSA electoral battles back in the day.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mullooly will join constituency colleagues Barry Cowen and Luke Ming Flanagan on the committee.