Council views on Dana's nomination: round-up
Donegal
The mayor of Letterkenny, Cllr Dessie Larkin, has confirmed that he will be putting forward a motion at next Monday's meeting of Donegal County Council proposing that the local authority nominates Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon as a presidential candidate, writes Chris Ashmore.
Cllr Larkin's proposal will be seconded by his Independent Fianna Fáil party colleague, Cllr Liam Blaney, but it seems unlikely that the motion will get the support of a majority of the 29 members on the council.
In 1997, Donegal County Council was the first local authority to endorse Ms Scallon's attempt to win a presidential election nomination.
North Tipperary
Members of North Tipperary County Council unanimously rejected yesterday a request by Dana Rosemary Scallon for a nomination to contest the presidential election, writes Peter Gleeson.
The council had supported Ms Scallon on the last occasion but this time rejected her request without any debate on the matter.
Speaking at the monthly meeting, the mayor, Mr John Hogan (FF), said the council had received an e-mail from Ms Scallon seeking the support of the elected members.
He said a phone-in and text survey conducted yesterday evening by the Tipp FM current affairs programme, Tipp Today, showed that the majority of respondents were against Ms Scallon getting a nomination from the council.
"A lot of people feel she is flogging a dead horse because she did not succeed in retaining her EU seat and is not a realistic candidate."
Tipp Today presenter Séamus Martin said eight of 10 respondents to the survey organised by the programme were not in favour of Dana entering the race.
Monaghan
Dana's bid to get a nomination for the presidency from Monaghan County Council failed yesterday after a letter requesting support was circulated to each of the 20 council members, writes Patsy McArdle.
The meeting was convened to complete an over-run agenda from the council's ordinary monthly meeting on September 6th last.
Mayor Owen Bannigan (Fine Gael) announced that a letter was received seeking the council's support for the nomination of Dana Rosemary Scallon for election to Áras an Uachtaráin. He said a copy of the letter was circulated to the councillors for their perusal, prior to the proceedings.
County manager Declan Nelson said that although the council had received the communication on behalf of Dana, there were no proposals on the matter received from any councillor for inclusion on the extended agenda.
Fine Gael councillor Hugh McElvaney asked the chairman if he was making a proposition to support Dana, to which Mayor Bannigan replied : "No, but I will take any proposals that are being made." There was no response from any of the councillors, and there was no further reference to Ms Scallon's request for a nomination.
Kilkenny
Dana's attempt to run for the presidency received a severe setback in Kilkenny yesterday afternoon.
Members of Kilkenny County Council decided against giving Ms Scallon the opportunity to address them at a special meeting.
Chairwoman Mary Hilda Cavanagh (FG) said that she had taken legal advice on the matter.
She then asked council members to raise their hands if they wanted to hold a special meeting to allow Ms Scallon to put forward her case for running in the presidential race.
"If five or more of you put up your hands I will take it that you want a special meeting to give her a chance to put her reason for running to you," Cllr Cavanagh said.
No hands were raised and the matter was dealt with in under three minutes.
It emerged that Ms Scallon faxed a letter to Kilkenny County Council last week asking for a special meeting.
There was also bad news for another potential Independent presidential candidate, Mr Eamon Anthony Zaidan, who wants to run for the presidency to highlight the proposed motorway at Carrickmines Castle, Dublin.
He sent an e-mail to the local authority asking it to endorse his candidacy.
Again, Cllr Cavanagh asked if there was any support for him and no one raised their hand.