A presidential election now appears inevitable in the autumn after a Labour Party spokesman said yesterday that the party leadership believed it should run a candidate. Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent, reports.
The spokesman said party leader Mr Pat Rabbitte believed "that there should be a contest and that Labour should run a candidate".
No formal decision was likely until after the local and European elections in June, he said, but it was the strongly held view of Mr Rabbitte and those around him that they should contest the election.
The Labour Party chairman, Mr Michael D. Higgins, is the current favourite for a Labour nomination. Mr Higgins said last night that he would decide after the local and European elections.
There is a widespread belief among the Oireachtas parties that the sitting President, Mrs McAleese, will nominate herself to run for re-election.
In the event that she does not, Fianna Fáil sources have confirmed that the party would be certain to run a candidate, guaranteeing a contest.
Labour's position creates a serious political problem for Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, who said recently that his party would support Mrs McAleese should she nominate herself for re-election as a non-party candidate. However, with Fianna Fáil seen as certain to back Mrs McAleese in a contest, Fine Gael will now have to choose between supporting a Government-backed candidate, backing a Labour nominee or running its own candidate.
Fine Gael has been keen to avoid an expensive presidential campaign in which it fears it could suffer a demoralising defeat.
A Fine Gael spokesman indicated last night that the presidential election was not a high priority for the party. "In the context of a political environment where our airports will be shutting down, the live register is increasing and Irish inflation continues to be the highest in Europe, Enda Kenny's political priorities are far more immediate than a potential presidential election 10 months from now," the spokesman said.
Labour Party sources said yesterday that the prospect of a non-party candidate getting the required 20 Oireachtas members from among the 31 TDs and senators from small parties and the Independent group to nominate them was a factor in the party's determination to run. Labour did not want to leave the field clear for such a candidate to boost the profile of smaller rival parties. The Green Party, Sinn Féin and Independent deputies confirmed yesterday they had thought of this but said no talks had yet taken place between them.
The Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, said any consideration of the issue would have to wait until after the local government and European parliament elections. A Sinn Féin spokesman said the party would make a decision later.