DUBLIN WEST:FIANNA FÁIL has accused Taoiseach Enda Kenny of breaching convention and "ignoring long-standing precedent" by announcing the date of the Dublin West byelection to replace the late Brian Lenihan.
Mr Kenny confirmed at the Fine Gael parliamentary party “think-in” in Galway yesterday that voting would take place on October 27th. This coincides with the presidential election and referendums on judges’ pay and powers for parliamentary committees.
Fianna Fáil Senator Darragh O’Brien said: “It has been a well-established practice that when a member of the Dáil passes, it is the prerogative of the leader of his or her party to establish the date of the byelection to replace them. This convention is a simple mark of respect for the deceased.
“It is very disappointing that in this case, especially given the immense contribution of Brian Lenihan to Irish public life and his legacy in Dublin West, the Taoiseach has ignored this convention and chose to make the announcement at a Fine Gael party political event.”
Fianna Fáil is holding its selection convention on Tuesday evening at a hotel in the constituency. There had been speculation that the late Mr Lenihan’s son, Tom, would go forward, but party sources said he was below the minimum age of 21 years.
Local councillor David McGuinness, who was on the ticket with Mr Lenihan earlier this year, is expected to seek the nomination.
Fine Gael councillor Kieran Dennison polled over 3,000 votes in the general election. Sources within the party said they were looking for a candidate with a high national profile.
The current front-runner is local Labour councillor Patrick Nulty; the party polled almost 29 per cent of the vote last time out against 27 per cent for Fine Gael.
The Socialist Party, whose leader Joe Higgins is a TD for the constituency, is likely to field Cllr Ruth Coppinger.
Paul Donnelly is the Sinn Féin contender, and Roderic O’Gorman is expected to run for the Greens.
Meanwhile, today’s Cabinet meeting is expected to approve the wording of the Abbeylara amendment to the Constitution to enable full Oireachtas inquiries into matters of general public importance.
The amendment has arisen because of the Supreme Court ruling which ended the parliamentary inquiry into the shooting dead of John Carthy in the Co Longford village of Abbeylara on April 20th, 2000.
One of the consequences of the judgment is that there is currently a legal doubt regarding the powers of an Oireachtas committee to make findings of fact which have a potential impact on the individual’s right to his or her good name.
The Government agreed in July to a proposed draft wording and this has been reviewed by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in order to finalise the terms of a Referendum Bill due to be published early next week.
As the referendum takes place on the same date as the presidential election, the Referendum Bill will need to complete its passage shortly after the Dáil reconvenes on September 14th.