Fianna Fáil has chosen its leader on Dublin City Council, Paul McAuliffe, as its candidate for the Dublin North West constituency in the general election.

Cllr McAuliffe was elected unopposed for the single slot on the ticket after the other nominee, Laura Reid, withdrew before Wednesday night's selection convention in Drumcondra.

A former political and communications consultant, Mr McAuliffe also worked for a time for Michael McDowell, before the former Progressive Democrat leader retired from politics.

A native of Finglas, he has been a member of Dublin City Council since 2009.

The constituency has changed since the last election and now takes in a part of Drumcondra. The favourites to take the first two seats in the constituency are Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis and Independent TD Róisín Shortall. Mr McAuliffe may be in a battle for the last seat with the Fine Gael candidate Cllr Noel Rock and Labour Party TD John Lyons.

The convention in the Regency Hotel was chaired by Fianna Fáil's Dublin spokesman Senator Darragh O'Brien.