Candidate Senator Thomas Byrne signs the Fianna Fail party pledge.

Government parties will be under pressure to select candidates for the Meath East by-election and set a date for the poll, as opposition parties name their runners.

Fianna Fail has selected former TD, Senator Thomas Byrne, to run. He was the only nominee at the selection convention held in the Ashbourne House Hotel attended by party leader Micheal Martin and a number of the party's Dail deputies.

Mr Martin spoke of the renewal of Fianna Fail and said that the by-election could provide the party with the shot in the arm needed for that revival, following on from Cllr David McGuinness' strong showing in the Dublin West by-election.

Speakers remembered the late Minister Shane McEntee and his family, whose death necessitated the by-election.

Sinne Fein has selected Ashbourne-based, Kells native Darren O'Rourke, who works for TD, Caoimhin O Caolain, while the Workers Party is running Seamus McDonagh.

Labour and Fine Gael have yet to select candidates, with speculation in FG centring on the family of the late Minister McEntee.