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INDEPENDENT TD FINIAN McGrath has revealed that he is talking to a number of possible candidates which the Dáil group of independents could back for the presidential election next month.
Independent TDs in the Dáil will hold their own think-in this Friday ahead of the resumption of the Dáil next week where the issue of who to back for the presidential election is likely to be discussed.
McGrath, TD for Dublin North Central, told TheJournal.ie today that he will not made a decision on who he is backing until after the think-in but revealed that he is talking to “a number of possible candidates.”
He said that his colleagues “could turn up with top class candidates” who they have been speaking to in recent weeks but insisted that all would become clearer after Friday’s meeting.
TheJournal.ie understands that McGrath will be meeting with one possible candidate tomorrow.
Fellow independent John Halligan, TD for Waterford, said today that “nobody has come into the reckoning” in recent weeks, echoing comments he made last month in relation to the presidential race.
Elsewhere, Noel Grealish, independent TD for Galway West , said he had not yet made a decision but revealed he that he was “impressed” by independent presidential candidate and former Special Olympics CEO Mary Davis having recently met with her.
Sinn Féin
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson today came out in favour of the party running a candidate for the election.
Pearse Doherty told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that “there has been a debate going on within the party” and added that he was conscious the next president would represent Ireland during the centenary of the 1916 rising.
Sinn Féin is due to make a decision on whether or not to run a candidate after its Ard Fheis which will be held in Belfast this weekend.
Mary Lou McDonald, the Dublin Central TD, and Michelle Gildernew, a Sinn Féin MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone have been mentioned as possible candidates. Neither could be reached for comment at the time of publication.
The party would need three more members of the Dáil or Seanad to back a possible candidate as it has only 17 Oireachtas members out of the 20 it needs to secure a place on the ballot paper for the 27 October vote.
A number of other independent TDs contacted for comment on the presidential race did not return calls at the time of publication.
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A TD’s for life (pension) and not just for Christmas.
Reduce the number of Dail seats.
http://www.wethecitizens.ie/talk/article/reducing_the_size_and_cost_of_government
Intresting link Sean. I don’t think these turkeys will vote for Christmas though.
How do I run for it?
Fianna Fail, the soldiers of our failed destiny, would be wise not to run a candidate for the by-election. Sure, why would they anyway: won’t they have made Fianna Fail history by not having “one” TD in the whole of Dublin. Maybe, one day, they could even do one better by not having one in the whole country!
Rumours that Pat Cox will be the Fine Gael candidate.
As someone who disagrees on most things with FG I still feel compelled to ask not to screw things up for yourselves in this by-election. Pat friggin Cox – Mister 7 pensions and still only 59. Mr. EU insider who has a lobby company advising Multi nationals on how to deal with the EU. A hopper from party to party, depending on which one is good for Pat Cox. Jesus if ye want to cement your party as a Golden Circle gombeen outfit go for it but it will be a chocking mistake all too familiar to FF activists. HQ knows best etc etc etc.
Say it ain’t so Dave, say it ain’t so?
More money wasted to find a waster to pension off! Great
I favor the policy of economy, not because I wish to save money, but because I wish to save people. The men and women of this country who toil are the ones who bear the cost of the Government. Every dollar that we carelessly waste means that their life will be so much the more meager. Every dollar that we prudently save means that their life will be so much the more abundant. Economy is idealism in its most practical form.
C Coolidge
Kieran Dennison will take this seat for Fine Gael. He was only just edged out by Brian Linehan in February. Fine Gael are at 44% in the polls, up from 36% in February. The only other Fine Gael TD in that constituency is Leo Varadkar, so it would be good for them to have a back bencher as well as a Minister.
Labour are down to 12% in the polls, I don’t see them getting this seat. Fianna FAIL are at 15% but nobody is gonna vote for them. Anyone else is so low in the rankings it wouldn’t matter. To take this potential victory away from Fine Gael would need a real game changer, real star quality.
Comment of the year there Daniel, Fianna fail at 15% but nobody going to vote for them. Pmsl. I bet maths wasn’t your strong subject at school (:
Last FF seat in Dublin now gone, amazing turnaround and rightly so.
Clearly someone will vote for them, what I am saying is they won’t take the seat. Try not to take everything you read literally.
Yes obviously they will get some votes, but they won’t take the seat, that’s what I am saying. Try not to take everything you read literally.
have your say