FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheál Martin contacted Gay Byrne at the weekend to ask him to consider running for the presidency, the veteran broadcaster said yesterday.
Mr Byrne (77) said Mr Martin phoned him on Saturday saying Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members could facilitate the former Late, Late Show host’s nomination as an Independent candidate.
“Micheál Martin called me last Saturday night, and he was on holidays in Skibbereen and I was on holidays in Donegal, and he asked me to consider it,” Mr Byrne said.
Despite the fact that Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley remains keen to contest the presidential election, a number of the party’s prominent TDs have indicated they are positively disposed towards Mr Byrne.
Mr Byrne told The Irish Timeshe was taking his time and wanted to speak to his wife, Kathleen Watkins, and his daughters, one of whom would not return from holidays for a week. "I am speaking to people. Nobody said that I had to give an answer immediately. Everybody is on holiday . . . Nobody has pushed me to make up my mind," Mr Byrne said.
Nominations close in early October and the election takes place on October 27th.
Mr Crowley is “still very much interested”, a spokesman for the MEP for Ireland South said. “He’s following the plan he set out some months ago, which was to give the party time and space to make its own decision without undue pressure from him.”
Wexford TD John Browne said he would support Mr Crowley. “I’ve nothing personally against Gay Byrne now, but Crowley is part of the Fianna Fáil family and has expressed an interest in going for some time,” he said. “If he puts his name before the parliamentary party I’ll be voting for him.”
A Fianna Fáil committee charged with deciding the party’s approach to the election has been established but is yet to meet. The committee’s membership comprises Mr Martin; Éamon Ó Cuív; Dara Calleary; Seán Ó Fearghaíl; Timmy Dooley and Senator Darragh O’Brien.
Among those who have voiced support for backing Mr Byrne’s nomination are Willie O’Dea; Niall Collins; John McGuinness; Seán Fleming and Charlie McConalogue.