FF leader allows free vote to nominate presidential hopeful

FIANNA FÁIL TDs, senators and councillors have been permitted a free vote in the nomination of presidential candidates by leader Micheál Martin, in a departure from party tradition.

Potential candidates for the position of president need support from 20 members of the Dáil and Seanad, or the backing of four local authorities, to secure a nomination. The tendency to vote along party lines can make the process difficult for independents.

“It is the Fianna Fáil view that the people of this country are entitled to have as wide a choice for the office of president as possible and that this choice should not be limited to the official nominations of the political parties,” Mr Martin said.

“For this reason, I will not be taking the same approach as other parties as they seek to block the nomination of independent candidates and will permit party representatives to facilitate the candidacy of individuals who they believe should have the right to stand before the electorate.”

Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members have been approached by entrepreneur Seán Gallagher, a judge in the RTÉ series Dragons’ Den, with a view to building support for his independent bid. Mr Gallagher, who lives in Louth, was former ceann comhairle Séamus Kirk’s director of elections in 2007 and was a member of Ógra Fianna Fáil.

Fianna Fáil may yet decide to run its own candidate or get behind an independent. A third option open to the party is not to field or get behind a candidate, which would be a radical departure from the party’s behaviour in previous presidential campaigns.

Fianna Fáil will decide on a “definitive party position” this month, Mr Martin said. Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley has cherished the ambition to enter the race, but he has stressed that nominating a candidate is a party matter.

Fine Gael and Labour have both committed to fielding candidates.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael has instructed its councillors to block the nomination of Independent Senator David Norris, according to Longford County Council party member Paddy Belton.

Longford is one of the local authorities Mr Norris has addressed and appealed to for support. Mr Belton said prior to Mr Norris’s arrival the Fine Gael group on the council had contacted party HQ seeking advice. “We got word from headquarters. The instruction we got at that stage was to oppose him if it was proposed for Longford local authority to support him.”

Mr Belton said he relayed this to Mr Norris after the Senator had addressed the meeting. He said Mr Norris asked if the Fine Gael group would consider abstaining in the event of a vote, but Mr Belton ruled that out. “I said this was instructions from HQ.”

Mr Norris has written to non-party TDs and the five TDs elected under the United Left Alliance umbrella telling them he was now “very anxious” to secure their support. So far only four Independents – Mick Wallace, Finian McGrath, Catherine Murphy and Maureen O’Sullivan – have confirmed they will nominate him. Sinn Féin has not discussed the issue, a spokesman said.

Within Fine Gael, MEPs Seán Kelly and Maireád McGuinness have declared their interest but party insiders are not ruling out former taoiseach John Bruton.

Speculation continues in political circles about the intentions of former European parliament president Pat Cox.