Fianna Fáil's electoral plans for Northern Ireland has been left in confusion after senior politicians unveiled what they said was its first local council candidate, only for the party to later to deny it was happening.
An hour after Sorcha McAnespy was announced as the party's historic first candidate in a local election north of the border, Fianna Fáil's official twitter account insisted the party had not yet decided to run candidates in the 2019 poll.
A picture of Ms McAnespy holding a Fianna Fáil-branded election poster alongside party TD Eamon O'Cuiv and Senator Mark Daly was released to the Press Association after a party meeting in Co Tyrone yesterday evening.
A press release with quotes from all three, which also stated the apparent endorsement of party leader Micheál Martin, was distributed with the picture, while a social media video from inside the meeting in Omagh showed the moment Ms McAnespy was apparently unveiled as a candidate.
However, the Fianna Fáil twitter account subsequently tweeted: "Despite some reports, the party has made no decision with regard to contesting the 2019 NI local elections. The party is continuing its discussions with the SDLP."
Despite some reports, the party has made no decision with regard to contesting the 2019 NI local elections. The party is continuing its discussions with the SDLP.
— Fianna Fáil (@fiannafailparty) October 25, 2018
The episode comes amid ongoing speculation that Fianna Fáil might ultimately merge with the SDLP to run in future Northern Ireland elections.
Mr Martin has previously stated his party's intention to stand in elections in Northern Ireland, though had not made clear whether that would be on its own ticket or as part of a new political project with the SDLP.
Senator Daly later insisted Ms McAnespy was a Fianna Fáil candidate.
"Micheál Martin has told her she is a candidate," he told PA.
He vowed that "many more" Fianna Fáil candidates would be announced in the coming months.
Shortly before midnight, Senator Daly said Fianna Fáil headquarters had not yet been in contact with him about what had happened in Omagh.
When it was suggested to him that the evening's events had been somewhat unconventional, he replied: "Sure, that's Fianna Fáil politics."
Established in 1926, Fianna Fáil has long claimed to be Ireland's true republican party.
As such, it has long faced questions on why it would not regularly contest elections on a 32-county basis.
