Fianna Fáil TDs mostly in their thirties have ambitions to challenge senior colleagues for the party leadership, writes MARY MINIHAN
SIX NAMES have emerged as prominent in Fianna Fáil’s so-called “Ógra generation”, a group of TDs mostly still in their 30s and elected for the first time in 2007 but now aspiring to leadership roles.
The youngest is 33-year-old Thomas Byrne, who faces a battle in this year’s general election with party colleague Mary Wallace in the three-seat Meath East constituency they share.
Byrne, a solicitor, is routinely praised by party insiders for both his measured media outings and robust performances at private gatherings, although one senior TD said he was “inclined to panic when the heat comes on”.
Another long-time observer of the party said Byrne “seems to have access to a great PR machine”. The party’s press director, Pat McParland, was a member of the campaign team that saw Byrne elected to the Dáil on his first outing.
Michael McGrath (34) has laboured under the shadow of Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin in their Cork South Central constituency.
McGrath, a quietly spoken chartered accountant who tends to keep media appearances to a minimum, speaks up regularly at parliamentary party meetings, and is regularly described as intelligent and hard-working. Although relatively anonymous outside his Cork base, he is respected within the wider party.
Minister of State for Labour Affairs Dara Calleary (37), who calls himself “pro-business” and coined the phrase Ógra generation, was quickly promoted by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, and older deputies watched enviously as he was given new responsibilities in the cautious reshuffle last March.
One TD described Calleary as “very ambitious” and “in a hurry”, while another source said he had vision but remained a realist. With his Mayo colleague Beverley Flynn stepping down, Calleary’s chances of re-election are regarded as better than many of his contemporaries, although his is the strongest Fine Gael constituency in the country.
Niall Collins (37), of Limerick West, another accountant, is described as “shrewd” and “in possession of a political nose”, thanks to his pedigree as nephew of Gerard Collins.
Darragh O’Brien (36), based in Dublin North, a former financial manager with Friends First, is described as “able” and “bright” by party insiders, although they say his close association with Cowen could damage him. Serving his second Dáil term, Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews (43) is on the fringes of the Ógra generation.
A number of TDs last night insisted that Martin remained the favourite to succeed Cowen, with Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Minister for Tourism Mary Hanafin also mentioned. However, the belief that the next leader should not be a senior Minister seemed to be spreading.
“People are saying, where are the senior Ministers when the party needs them? They needn’t come out of hiding when the election is over and expect to be handed the crown,” a backbencher revealed. “The next leader of Fianna Fáil shouldn’t be a member of the Cabinet that brought in the IMF. There’s a strong view emerging: ‘You’ve had your day in the sun and you didn’t do too well’.”
The Ógra generation earned this rebuke from party chairman John Browne: “People in the parliamentary party should be more worried about winning back their seats than becoming leader of Fianna Fáil, because if you don’t win back your seat you don’t become leader of anything.”
Noel Whelan; Elaine Byrne – Opinion: page 14