THERE IS “growing backing” within Sinn Féin for a party candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, according to a senior source in the party.
Finance spokesman Pearse Doherty yesterday became the second Sinn Féin TD to publicly back a Sinn Féin candidate in the October elections. This followed similar comments by Kerry TD Martin Ferris last week.
The decision on a candidate, who would be its first, will be made by the party’s new ard chomhairle which will be selected at the Sinn Féin ardfheis in Belfast this weekend. The new executive is expected to make a decision within a fortnight, ahead of the close of nominations on September 27th.
A senior party source told The Irish Timeslast night that Fianna Fáil's decision not to field a candidate had led to "expectations growing within the party that we could not turn down to run a candidate. There is too great an opportunity". The source accepted there were different views within the party but insisted there was a growing view that the field was not as strong as originally anticipated and that Fianna Fáil's decision not to contest had provided a major opportunity for Sinn Féin.
“It is swinging towards us running a candidate, the longer it goes in my view,” said the source, saying it was another move towards “more mainstream stuff” as part of a political journey.
The party has 14 TDs and three Senators and would need three other Oireachtas members to reach the 20 needed to secure an official nomination. Two of the party’s prominent public figures, Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle Gildernew, its MP for Fermanagh-South Tyrone, have been mentioned as possible candidates.
It came as two of the Independent candidates moved a step closer to securing the formal backing they each require to take part in the election. Both Seán Gallagher and Mary Davis had each received provisional backing from four or more local authorities earlier this summer. With the writ for the election now moved, a number of councils yesterday formalised the nominations.
Mr Gallagher received nominations yesterday from Leitrim and Meath county councils and is expected to reach the required threshold of four next Monday when county councils in Cavan, Clare and Wexford vote. Mr Gallagher also looks set to get the backing of Cork City Council after councillors last night voted by 11 to 7 to send his name forward for ratification.
Having received the backing from Galway County Council on Friday, Ms Davis yesterday received her second formal nomination from Sligo County Council.
Separately, Independent TD Finian McGrath is continuing discussions with a view to the technical group backing an Independent candidate.