FF and SF deny asking broadcaster to stand

NEITHER FIANNA Fáil nor Sinn Féin has approached broadcaster Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh to run for president, according to spokesmen for both parties.

Mr Ó Muircheartaigh told The Irish Timeshe had been approached by politicians but would not say who they were or whether or not they were attached to parties.

“I had approaches from politicians a few months ago,” he said. “Their approaches were based on would I be interested and saying I’d be suitable.

“I’m not going to name anyone, except to say they were politicians and others would have been intermediaries. I’ll be saying no more until I announce next week what decision I’ve come to.”

Mr Ó Muircheartaigh said he would stand as an Independent candidate if he joined the race. Presidential candidates require the support of 20 Oireachtas members or four country councils.

A Fianna Fáil spokesman said: “There’s been no contact with Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh,” while a Sinn Féin spokesman said: “We didn’t approach him”.

Independent TD Finian McGrath, who had been co-ordinating Independent Senator David Norris’s aborted campaign to get the signatures of Oireachtas members, could not be contacted.

Mr Ó Muircheartaigh spoke at a Sinn Féin-hosted conference, “Uniting Ireland – Towards a New Republic” in Cork in June.

At that time, he said the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland had helped move towards achieving a united Ireland.

Sinn Féin TD for Donegal North East Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said there was a “growing desire” within the party to enter the contest.

With 14 TDs and three Senators, Sinn Féin would need to enlist the support of three more Oireachtas members to field a candidate or facilitate the nomination of an Independent.

“It has to be a big name,” Mr Mac Lochlainn added.

The party’s TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe said: “I’d like to see us running someone. If we don’t, we are out of the debate.”

Sinn Féin is not expected to reveal its strategy until after the party’s ardfheis, which takes place in Belfast on September 9th and 10th.

Fianna Fáil MEP for Ireland South Brian Crowley, who last month wrote to party colleagues confirming his intention to seek the party’s nomination, could not be contacted yesterday.

One party source said: “We will not have a candidate from within the Fianna Fáil party, I can guarantee you that.”

The source said the party remained available to nominate an Independent “if the right type of person arises”. Another source said: “Unless somebody falls like manna from heaven, I can’t really see us in this battle.”

Meanwhile, Independent Senator John Crown admitted he had “flirted” with the idea of contesting but had subsequently ruled it out.

“I’m not running,” Prof Crown said. “I briefly flirted with the idea after individual friends, colleagues, patients and people I correspond with electronically suggested it. I gave it some thought but it’s wholly impractical.”