THE broadcaster and journalist, Ms Ruth Buchanan, has until tomorrow night to decide whether or not to accept a Fine Gael invitation to be a candidate for the party in Wicklow in the general election, writes Maol Mu ire Tynan, Political Reporter.
Ms Buchanan, who is married to Senator Shane Ross - who recently resigned from Fine Gael - said yesterday that Fine Gael's general secretary, Mr Jim Miley, had asked her to consider a nomination for Wicklow. She denied newspaper reports that she had declined the invitation.
"I wish to set the record straight; Mr Miley did indeed invite me to consider a nomination. On Saturday, March 29th, he came to dinner here to discuss the matter. His plan was that I should be added to the Fine Gael ticket and bypass the convention. Mr Miley said it was felt that I would appeal to the urban middle-class voter in north Wicklow," Ms Buchanan said.
Adding that she had not declined the offer, she said she was coming under pressure from people to stand. She had not, however, made up her mind and did not have to decide until tomorrow night at the close of nominations for the convention.
Fine Gael's national executive will meet tomorrow night to decide the date of the actual selection convention which is likely to take place next week.
A party spokesman said there would be no question of bypassing a convention and simply adding a name to the list of candidates.
Fine Gael's unsuccessful candidate in the Wicklow by-election, Mr Tom Honan, will seek a nomination. Mr Billy Timmons, the son of the outgoing TD, Mr Godfrey Timmons, is understood to be considering whether or not to contest the selection convention.
A former Fine Gael member, Mr George Jones, has described as "factually incorrect", reports he was rejoining the party and was about to be put on the election ticket. Mr Jones left Fine Gael six years ago and had, with a group of people, set up a party called the Voice of Wicklow.
The Fine Gael spokesman said the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, had held talks last weekend with the organisation in north Wicklow inn effort to heal the rifts and "made it clear" to Mr Jones he was welcome back in the party.