ACTING leader of the Progressive Democrats Mary Harney has refused to be drawn on who she will support in the party's leadership campaign.
The nominations closed yesterday with just two candidates in the race, Senators Fiona O'Malley and Ciarán Cannon. The result of the postal ballot will be announced on April 16th.
Senator O'Malley launched her leadership campaign on Sunday.
Ms Harney said the leadership race would be good for the party but she warned there were "enormous" challenges ahead. "We had a very poor election result. It's going to be difficult. It is very difficult in any event for small parties and in the last election all small parties in Ireland fared badly as the race became a race between two large blocks."
She praised both candidates but said, "I'm not going to speculate on who will be elected or even on who I'm going to support myself".
She said both Ms O'Malley and Mr Cannon were two "extraordinarily committed" members of the Seanad.
Ms Harney said it would not have been appropriate for the party to go forward with a leader who had done the job before. "I'm delighted now that there is a contest and I think it's very good for the organisation."
She denied it would harm the party to have a leader who was not in the Dáil.
"Nobody ever asked Sinn Féin whether or not their support is dependent on Gerry Adams getting elected to the Dáil so I think we need to think of new ways, new models as they have in European countries, where very often the leaders of political organisations aren't in parliament at all and don't even aspire to be parliamentarians."
She also rejected claims that the controversy over the Taoiseach's finances was affecting the work of the Government.
"It's certainly not overshadowing what I'm doing," she said. "I hope that the Mahon tribunal will be able to come to a conclusion in relation to all the matters as quickly as possible.
"Obviously they have to continue to hear the evidence, but it would not be desirable for me or indeed other members of the Government to comment on an ongoing basis."
The intense six-week leadership campaign began last night when Senators O'Malley and Cannon took part in a head-to-head debate in Cork.
The outcome will be decided by an unusual electoral college comprising the four parliamentary party members (40 per cent), councillors and national executive (30 per cent) and the party's membership (30 per cent).
