Fianna Fáil has selected Connie Gerety-Quinn to stand as its Longford candidate following a heated selection convention last night.

She was ratified by chairman and Laois-Offaly TD Sean Fleming less than 24 hours after party headquarters announced it would be making a gender quota directive.

The Longford Leader reports the decision was met with widespread criticism from delegates last night - several of whom called for the convention to be adjourned.

Candidate Councillor Seamus Butler said it was 'an absolute travesty'.

While the other candidate, Fianna Fáil activist Pat O'Rourke told Newstalk Breakfast there has to be balance to the process.

"From the delegates, every single one of them last night to Sean Fleming, was please, please before we reach a situation before it is a farce that Michael Martin would intervene and reconvene the convention if the people there say 'let them have their vote'" he said.

"And depending on the outcome of that, we are fully supportive of the gender quota - it must be achieved for the good of the nation - but what we need to do is also have a balance, democracy must always win out" he added.