Longford County Council last night became the latest council to refuse to consider nominating Dana Rosemary Scallon to contest the forthcoming presidential election, writes Tim O'Brien in Longford.
The vote went 18 votes to two against a proposal to hold a special meeting to discuss nominating Ms Scallon, with the Fine Gael councillor Mr Paddy Belton, abstaining. Mr Belton, who had earlier said he would nominate Ms Scallon, explained that a Fine Gael whip had been imposed on party members.
The Fianna Fáil members of the council voted en bloc against holding a special meeting. After the vote, a former Independent councillor, Ms Phil O'Kelly, who had nominated Ms Scallon in 1997, said she was ashamed of what she described as the anti-democratic behaviour of the main political parties.
Proposing first that the council nominate Ms Scallon to contest the presidential election, the Independent councillor Mr Peter Murphy said he had actually no intention of voting for Ms Scallon; but her candidature was a "matter of democracy". Mr Murphy said he had seconded Ms Scallon's nomination in 1997 and did not vote for her in the presidential election that year.
"The present President is doing a good job" he told the members before adding that "the issue was not about Mrs McAleese's competence". Nor was he saying "this is rigged, but the national parties are putting a spanner in the works by saying who can run".
Mr Murphy said power was being taken away from councillors "by parties at national level. Is that democracy? Everybody should have a free run. That is all that is being asked. It is disgraceful what is happening here."
Commenting on Ms Scallon's performance in the recent European elections, Mr Murphy said nearly 60,000 people in Connacht/Ulster had voted for her "and we are depriving these people of their vote in the presidential election. It is our constitutional right to nominate, but we are being told by parties up in Dublin not to do it, and our constitutional right is being taken from us."
Acting county manager Mr Frank Sheridan said the members required three days notice before a candidate could be nominated and the members would therefore have to decide to hold a special meeting if they wanted to debate the issue.
Mr Sheridan also disclosed that the council had received requests to support the candidacy of two other presidential hopefuls. They were Mr Eamonn Anthony Zaidan of Rathfarnham, Dublin and Ms Gráinne Conroy of Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.
Mr Murphy amended his proposal to include discussion of the other candidates as well as Ms Scallon at a special meeting. On confirmation that the three candidates would be discussed, Mr Murphy's proposal was seconded by fellow Independent councillor Mr Michael Nevin.
Mr Nevin told the meeting that he too was an admirer of President McAleese, who, he said, had "brought a breath of fresh air to the office"; but he said in fairness to democracy, members should not refuse to hold a special meeting.
Mr Nevin told the councillors: "We talk a lot about democracy, now let's see it work. I am asking Fianna Fáil to change its mind."
After the vote was recorded, retired councillor Ms O'Kelly was allowed to address the council.
She said she was ashamed as "she (Ms Scallon) received an award from Rome. She, like the President, Mrs McAleese, is a wonderful woman". Ms O' Kelly said she was immediately withdrawing the gift of an Irish flag which she had made to the council when she retired.