Fianna Fáil 'taking soundings' from party on running candidate in presidential election
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ruled himself out of running for the presidency. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie
Fianna Fáil is continuing to weigh up whether to run a candidate in this year's presidential election, with a decision not expected before early next month.
Thus far, there are only two candidates in the presidential field with the required support to be on the ballot — Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness and independent TD Catherine Connolly — with Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin yet to decide who they will put forward, if anyone.
Within Fianna Fáil, some members of the parliamentary party would have preferred a decision made earlier this year, citing fears the time to introduce a newer candidate to the public will be too short from September onwards.
The party has not put forward a candidate for the presidency since 1997, when Mary McAleese would go on to win, but given its position as the largest party in the Oireachtas, TDs and senators believe there should be a Fianna Fáil candidate on the ballot.
However, sources said, it was a matter of finding the right candidate, with a poll last weekend showing little appetite for the names which have been floated thus far. Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern is the most popular choice, but with just 12% of respondents favouring him.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who had 9% support in the Ireland Thinks/ poll, definitively ruled himself out last month.
"No disrespect to the presidency or anything, but I gave commitments to the people that I would serve in Dail Éireann for the next five years and that is what I'm going to do."
He said Fianna Fáil would decide on what it would do in the presidential election in the coming weeks, and he was “taking soundings” from the parliamentary party on the matter.
Within the parliamentary party, there is no consensus candidate, but some of the party's newer generation of Oireachtas members are keen to avoid the presidency becoming a debate on the financial crash.
Two weeks ago, Mary Hanafin, a member of the Brian Cowen government which was in power until 2011, sent an email to the parliamentary party, asking for support in seeking a nomination.
“I believe strongly that Fianna Fáil should contest this election to ensure our values are reflected in the debates on the future of our country,” she said.
“After 30 years as an elected Fianna Fáil representative, including 11 as a government minister, I would like to express my interest in contesting this election."
That letter was met with outright rejection from many within the parliamentary party, with one TD saying the party should "steer well clear" of any politician closely associated with the financial crash, including Mr Ahern.
Meanwhile over the weekend, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald rejected the idea her party running a candidate would damage left unity and Ms Connolly. Ms McDonald said the election was likely to be decided by transfers, but she was still "weighing things up" with regard to running a candidate.
Ms McDonald had last month raised speculation when she refused to rule herself out as a potential candidate, but party members have since been cool on the idea, with one source saying running Ms McDonald would "be a waste".
