Announcement will force Coalition to decide on election

THE Government parties will begin the search for a credible candidate to contest the Presidency after the timing of the general election is agreed in the near future.

Sources in all three Coalition parties confirmed yesterday that no discussions had taken place on their strategy yet. The three Government leaders will not address the issue in earnest until the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, returns from the United States next Friday.

Fianna Fail sources are also playing their cards close to their chest with no formal declarations of interest in the post emerging yet.

The two potential candidates for the party's nomination, Mr David Andrews and Mr Albert Reynolds, are expected to consult the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, early next week.

Meanwhile, there was unanimity in Government circles that President Robinson's decision not to seek a second term later this year would force Mr Bruton, Mr Spring and Mr De Rossa to make up their minds on whether to have a pre summer or late autumn general election.

Mrs Robinson's decision leaves the door open, theoretically at least, for the general and presidential elections to be held on the one day in October. The firm expectation remains, however, that the general election will be held presummer, with speculation now on a May poll.

In the event of a pre summer general election, sources in all parties were suggesting yesterday that neither the Government nor Fianna Fail would nominate its presidential candidates until after that contest.

The former Minister, Mr David Andrews, and the former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, are the only Fianna Fail candidates with a known interest in the Presidency. No names have emerged from the Coalition ranks. The former Fine Gael Minister band deputy leader, Mr Peter Barry, said that he would not be interested in being a candidate. He was retiring from politics at the general election, he said.

Joe Carroll writes from Washington:

The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, has ruled out standing for, the Presidency later this year.

Speaking from Boston, he said: "I'm not getting involved in speculation", but he described a newsagency report saying that he had "ruled out" standing for the presidency as "correct, although I did not use those terms".

Mr Hume said: "It is not a subject I have ever thought about. My commitment is to working in the North and, I won't consider anything else."

Later yesterday Mr Hume travelled to Washington for a meeting in the White House and to attend the American Ireland Fund gala dinner, at which the former senator Mr George Mitchell was given the main award for his role in the peace process as chairman of the multi party talks.