Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has moved to defuse the controversy over the reintegration of Independent Fianna Fáil TD Niall Blaney's organisation in Donegal amid criticism from sitting Donegal North East TD, Dr Jim McDaid.
Asked at a Fianna Fáil conference in Cork yesterday about Dr McDaid's decision to reverse his decision to retire and his criticism of the party's handling of the reintegration of the Blaney organisation, Mr Cowen said the ending of the 34-year-old rift with the Blaney organisation was a welcome move.
Dr McDaid's statement that he would after all contest the party selection convention in the autumn has presented Fianna Fáil with a difficult local dispute.
With Mr Blaney's arrival into Fianna Fáil, the party had expected that he and sitting TD Cecilia Keaveney would comprise the party ticket for the next general election. Fianna Fáil sources said yesterday that running three candidates in Donegal North West in the next election would make no sense, as the party can only hope to win two out of the three seats.
Having three candidates would split the party vote giving no benefit to the party, they say.
With some insisting there must be a Letterkenny-based candidate, senior party figures are expected to have discussions with Dr McDaid and others in Donegal to seek a resolution before a convention.
Mr Cowen said: "The whole purpose is to win and hold seats and get back into Government. We don't discuss internal party matters but obviously developments this week have met with a broad approval in the party nationally - there are obviously local sensitivities that we respect.
"These are matters which will be dealt with through our organisation processes. We will engage with the local organisation and see what is the best way forward and make our decisions accordingly."
Asked if this meant that Fianna Fáil was planning to run the three sitting TDs in Donegal North East - Dr McDaid, Mr Blaney and Ms Keaveney - Mr Cowen refused to be drawn. "These are internal party matters and what our ultimate strategy will be has yet to decided."
Earlier this week Mr Blaney confirmed that the organisation set up by his uncle, Neil Blaney, in 1972 following his expulsion from Fianna Fáil, would be merging back into the party which his grandfather, Neal T Blaney, had helped found in 1926.
However, Dr McDaid, who had planned to step down at the end of this Dáil, confirmed he would be putting his name forward as a candidate in response to the decision to readmit the Independent Fianna Fáil organisation.
Dr McDaid said the move to reintegrate the Blaney organisation had been handled in a "scurrilous" manner by Fianna Fáil and had left many party supporters in the constituency unhappy and angry with the leadership.