The Labour leadership is seeking a presidential candidate from outside the party before next Tuesday, after it emerged yesterday that Mr Michael D. Higgins may not put his name forward. Speaking to reporters during a day-long Parliamentary Labour Party meeting outside Mullingar, Co Westmeath, yesterday, Mr Higgins cast serious doubt on the prospect of him being a candidate. The only Labour member to have emerged so far as a possible candidate said: "It may not be the best use of my time. I think I certainly could do the job - the issue is not that, but whether or not I will be going forward as a candidate."
The parliamentary party decided to permit the party leader, Mr Dick Spring, to approach people with a view to allowing their names to go forward. The 22-strong PLP will meet again next Tuesday morning in Dublin to formally consider Mr Spring's proposal and, along with Labour's General Council, will be expected to ratify the nomination that afternoon.
Mr Spring reported to yesterday's meeting on those individuals who had expressed an interest in the Presidency, including the Queen's University law lecturer, Prof Mary McAleese; the Victim Support Group leader, Mr Derek Nally; Senator David Norris, and the singer Dana (Rosemary Brown). He did not indicate to the meeting whom he intends to approach.
Following his party's discussions on a prospective candidate, Mr Spring said: "I will have a name. There are a number of possibilities. I don't have any one name in my mind. The situation has changed dramatically with the departure of John Hume."
Asked why his party was not throwing its full weight behind Mr Higgins, the former Tanaiste replied: "We have to have a candidate who is capable of winning votes across the board." With 12 per cent of the vote, he indicated Labour would find it extremely difficult to get a party candidate elected.
But Mr Spring maintained the Fianna Fail candidate - due to be nominated next week - is "beatable", as the party is likely to secure about 40 per cent of the vote throughout the State. "I don't think those candidates mentioned to date are unbeatable," he said.
Responding to questions about the financial implications of a presidential campaign for Labour, Mr Spring said if the party manages to get the right candidate, "the funding will follow".
The former Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins, said his family was "divided" on whether or not he should run. While the prospect was "very exciting", he had to bear in mind that he was the only remaining Labour deputy in the west of Ireland and there was much work to be done in terms of party policy.
He said he had been approached by a number of Labour deputies about allowing his name to go forward and there was no question of him being "a fall-back, available when all else failed".
It is widely believed in the parliamentary party that Mr Higgins will not allow his name to go into the ring on Tuesday in spite of support for him among his colleagues.