BY ENDA CUNNINGHAM

Galway Labour Party Senator Lorraine Higgins has denied rumours that she is set to ‘jump ship’ to Fianna Fáil, describing the stories as “absolute bunkum”.

Political sources have told the Connacht Tribune that a series of meetings have taken place in recent weeks between Fianna Fáil officials and the Athenry-based barrister – who was nominated to the Seanad by party leader and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore.

And she recently spoke out against Government in relation to the Common Agricultural Policy reform proposals and has set up a website (farmersrights.com), which bears no Labour Party branding, but interestingly features a green background, the traditional colour of the FF party.

Checks by the Connacht Tribune found that the website was set up by an intern with a Fine Gael TD in Leinster House.

Sources said that talks were brokered by an FF activist as the party was keen to have a strong female candidate when the ‘gender quotas’ are introduced for the next General Election – women must make up 30% of party candidates by the next election.

However, Senator Higgins has denied that any meetings had taken place with Fianna Fáil, and said she would be happy for her name to go forward on the Labour ticket for Galway East in 2016 .

Read more in today’s Connacht Tribune