The presidential ambitions of former Independent MEP, Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, and Green Party TD, Mr Eamon Ryan, have both run into serious difficulties. Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent, reports
The President, Mrs McAleese, has called a press conference at Áras an Uachtaráin this morning when she is expected to confirm her candidacy for a second term.
However, in spite of a flurry of activity yesterday it is still uncertain if any other candidates can secure a nomination and force an election.
Yesterday, two local authorities, Clare County Council and Wicklow County Council, who supported Dana's nomination in 1999 refused to do so again.
Senior figures in three more, including another of her 1999 strongholds, Tipperary North Riding County Council, indicated that they would not back her campaign.
Meanwhile, Green Party Dublin South TD, Mr Eamon Ryan, may struggle in his bid to win 20 Oireachtas signatures for his nomination papers.
The Green Party announced his candidacy hurriedly yesterday at lunchtime, amid fears that the information was about to leak out.
However, his election bid has not been approved formally by either the parliamentary party, or the national executive council, which met last Friday.
In particular, there is considerable concern in some quarters about the sequence of events leading up to the formal Green Party press statement to RTÉ Radio 1's News at One .
The party's TDs are to meet today and tomorrow to discuss the issue, before this weekend's meeting of the party's governing national council in Clonakilty, County Cork.
Though differing opinions exist on the wisdom of the idea amongst senior Green figures, there are also fears that the lack of consultation with rank-and-file members could raise tempers.
Besides the Greens' six TDs, Mr Ryan will need to win 14 signatures from a group of 14 Independent TDs, including ex-Fianna Fáil TD, Ms Beverley Flynn, and six Independent senators.
A large number of Independents spoken to by The Irish Times last night either openly opposed Mr Ryan's candidacy, or expressed only luke-warm support for it.
Sinn Féin has already said that it intends to support President McAleese, who will announce her re-election bid in Áras an Uachtaráin this morning.
The move by Mr Ryan has also raised the stakes for the Labour Party, which will decide if it is to contest the presidential race when its parliamentary party meets in Wexford today and tomorrow.
Former cabinet minister, Mr Michael D. Higgins, who was keen to contest the election, had major surgery on both knees in the early summer.
Though prepared to support Mr Ryan's candidacy, Independent TD, Mr Tony Gregory, openly expressed doubt about his chances.
During meetings last week with Mr Ryan, Mr Gregory said he had told Mr Ryan that he believed there should be a presidential election.
"I told him that if he was the only credible candidate, and if he had sufficient nomination votes along with mine, then I would be very happy to sign on that basis.
"He was happy enough with that, but I did say to him that I did not think that he would get enough votes to win a nomination," he said.
Speaking after Mayo County Council decided not to make a decision on her request for support, Ms Scallon told The Irish Times that she would continue to campaign for local authority nominations despite disappointments.
Six local authorities supported her in 1999, Tipperary North Riding, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Longford and Kerry, though the Clare nomination eventually went to another Independent candidate, Mr Derek Nally.
Last night, however, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil members of Clare County Council combined together to rule by 16 votes to 14 not to nominate a candidate for the office of President.
Meanwhile, Wicklow County Council overwhelmingly agreed not to hold a special meeting necessary to hear Ms Scallon's request, submitted by fax to the council yesterday morning.