A PD general election candidate insists Fine Gael asked him to swap parties and stand for them, however party leader Mr Michael Noonan strongly denies the claim.
Cllr Tom Morrissey, a PD candidate in Dublin West, said he was approached by representatives of Mr Noonan who asked him to stand for Fine Gael in the constituency instead of their selected candidate Cllr Sheila Terry.
He said he was asked to attend a meeting in Mr Noonan's secretary's house in Palmerstown to discuss electoral strategy on January 7th.
"The meeting was attended by former Fine Gael general secretary, Joe Kenny, who made it absolutely clear that he was there on behalf of Michael Noonan. I was amazed when I was asked to join Fine Gael, and by the discussion which showed that the leadership had lost confidence in their selected candidate Cllr Sheila Terry." However Mr Noonan said that Fine Gael had met Cllr Morrissey "after the party received information that he might be interested in rejoining".
"Contact was made on the clear understanding that he would not be a general election candidate. This proved unattractive to Cllr Morrissey. Fine Gael has already selected a strong candidate to run in Dublin West - Cllr Sheila Terry and our polls show she will win a seat."
But Mr Morrissey said that at the meeting Mr Kenny indicated the Fine Gael leadership had come to the assessment that Cllr Terry "had no chance of winning a seat and that she would be 'on her own' on election day, following which I would be their Senate nominee".
"I made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that I was not interested in their offer," said Cllr Morrissey.
However Mr Kenny told The Irish Times that his recollection of the meeting was entirely different. "I am stating categorically he was not asked to run for Fine Gael."
Mr Kenny said he had heard Cllr Morrissey was unhappy in the PDs. The meeting was arranged and while he did suggest he rejoin Fine Gael, it was on the basis of assisting Cllr Terry's campaign and perhaps, subsequently, being considered for a Seanad nomination. "To say he was asked to run for the party by me or anyone else at that meeting is absolutely untrue. I never mentioned Michael Noonan in the conversation," said Mr Kenny.