THE INTERNAL contest to choose a Fine Gael candidate for the presidency is growing in intensity with the prospect of former MEP Avril Doyle declaring her intention within days to seek the nomination.
Labour selected former arts minister Michael D Higgins yesterday by a large majority, while Irish-American hopeful Niall O’Dowd is due to meet representatives of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin this week.
Ms Doyle previously sought the nomination in 1997 and was narrowly defeated on that occasion by another Fine Gael MEP, Mary Banotti, who was defeated in the presidential election by Mary McAleese.
Sources in the Fine Gael parliamentary party said the situation was becoming confused and members were increasingly perplexed by the range of candidates, with some suggestions that there were more to come. The Fine Gael convention takes place in Dublin on July 9th. Up to 600 members of the party’s electoral college are eligible to attend and vote, including TDs and Senators, members of the party executive and some 500 town and county councillors.
Fine Gael TD for Wexford Dr Liam Twomey, a supporter of Ms Doyle, said she had come under grassroots and internal party pressure to run and she was currently making contact with as many members of the electoral college as possible.
The former MEP would issue a press statement when she had gauged her level of support. “She has the experience, ability and credibility to be a presidential candidate for the Fine Gael party,” Dr Twomey said.
Other party sources said that if Ms Doyle entered the race, it would split the traditional Fine Gael vote that would normally go to Dublin MEP Gay Mitchell. The result of that split could be that former European Parliament president Pat Cox would secure the nomination.
Following the clear majority for Michael D Higgins at the Labour convention, Tánaiste and party leader Eamon Gilmore said the campaign would be conducted on a non-partisan basis.
Mr Higgins received 37 votes, compared to 18 for former Labour adviser Fergus Finlay and seven for former senator Kathleen O’Meara.
The electorate consisted of the party’s TDs, Senators, Labour members of the European Parliament and members of the national executive council.
Irish-American publisher Niall O’Dowd is to meet Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin representatives over the next two days with a view to securing their support for his presidency bid.
Neither party would comment on Mr O’Dowd as a potential candidate. Sinn Féin said all options were on the table prior to a party executive decision on July 2nd.
Fianna Fáil said the parliamentary party would discuss strategy over the coming weeks.