Éamon Ó Cuív has been removed from the Fianna Fáil front bench over the unauthorised launch of an election candidate in Northern Ireland.

The move follows Senator Mark Daly and Mr Ó Cuív's role in appearing to launch a Fianna Fáil candidate recently.

Both men attended what was advertised as a Brexit meeting in Omagh, Co Tyrone where they appeared to launch a candidate, Fermanagh Councillor Sorcha McAnespy, to run in next year's local elections.

Party headquarters later said that it had not endorsed the election launch of Ms McAnespy.

Yesterday, Mr Daly was sacked as the party's deputy Seanad leader and spokesperson for Foreign Affairs.

In a statement released this evening, Fianna Fáil said party leader Micheál Martin met with Mr Ó Cuív last night.

"During the course of that meeting Deputy Ó Cuív made it clear that he was aware in advance of plans to hold an unauthorised launch of a candidate and agreed to participate in the event," the statement said.

"In light of this information, regretfully, Deputy Ó Cuív's continued membership of the party's front bench is no longer tenable.

"His portfolio responsibilities will be reassigned in the time ahead."

The Galway West TD had served as Fianna Fáil spokesperson on regional development, rural affairs and the Gaeltacht.

Mr Ó Cuív has said he accepts that it is a matter for Mr Martin to choose who is on the party's front bench.

Tweeting in Irish, Mr Ó Cuív said he will not be making any further statement on the matter.