Tweet highlights FG feud still raging on

THE lid has been lifted on seething internal wars within Fine Gael in the Dublin Rathdown constituency following a loose tweet from Cllr Barry Saul, who shares the same constituency.

Responding to a tweet featuring Arts and Culture Minister, Josepha Madigan, launching the Spring into Heritage festival programme in Dún Laoghaire, Cllr Saul wrote: ‘Is your Department providing any funding?’ Tensions have been rising in south Dublin ever since Fine Gael began targeting the seat of Shane Ross with a political tag team of Minister Madigan and Senator Neale Richmond, a protégé of the former long-serving TD Olivia Mitchell.

Within Dublin Rathdown Cllr Saul, who embarrassingly outpolled Ms Madigan in their ward at the last local elections, is believed to be aligned to Mr Richmond.

The perceived closeness of the race means that all eyes are on the affable Richmond and Leo’s ‘favourite’ Madigan, who ousted former Justice Minister Alan Shatter in 2016.

One source said: ‘The pot is being further stirred by Barry. He lives three streets away and they don’t get on. He is the third man in all this.’