Dana's nomination bid: The former Independent MEP, Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, has accused the "political establishment" of "deliberate obstruction" and thwarting democracy, following her failure to secure a presidential nomination from Mayo County Council.
"The political establishment wants to hold on to the presidency at any cost, even though the presidency belongs to the people of this country and not to the political establishment," Ms Scallon said.
She was commenting on the decision by Mayo County Council not to discuss the issue at its monthly meeting yesterday, following legal advice to the local authority's chairman, Fine Gael councillor, Eddie Staunton.
Ms Scallon yesterday questioned this ruling, given that the polling date of October 22nd had been announced last week. Confirming the date in a press statement last week, the Department said the Minister would "make the necessary orders next week setting out the relevant dates and hours of polling and appointing the presidential returning officer". The legal order was made last evening.
The Mayo County Council chairman, Cllr Staunton (FG) attended a two-hour meeting with Fine Gael councillors earlier in the afternoon, but then announced that the county secretary had informed him that the authority was precluded from including it on the agenda until the Minister for the Environment had signed the order for the date of polling.
The Fine Gael members denied that they were trying to block Ms Scallon's nomination, and said they had received no directive not to support her from party headquarters. However, even before the party meeting, several Fine Gael representatives, including Cllrs Jarlath Munnelly and John O'Malley, said they would not be advocating her nomination.
Cllr Staunton confirmed that Ms Scallon had contacted him on Saturday. He said that he had not expressed any view on her candidacy, but informed her there would have to be a meeting to discuss the matter.
Ms Scallon requires the nomination of four local authorities or 20 sitting members of the Oireachtas to run for the presidency, and was the first candidate to be nominated by this route when she stood in 1997. Six local authorities supported her candidature at that time - Tipperary North, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Longford and Kerry - but she allowed Clare's nomination to pass to another Independent candidate, Mr Derek Nally.
Both Galway and Roscommon County Councils are also expected to discuss her nomination when both meet on September 27th. The Mayor of Co Galway, Cllr Willie Burke (Ind), said Ms Scallon had contacted him over the weekend.
"I had a discussion with Rosemary with regard to her presidential election bid. I suppose it could be considered that. I'm not quite sure that she asked me out straight would we nominate her," Cllr Burke said. "I did say we would facilitate her by putting it on the agenda on September 27th."
Cllr Burke said a technical coalition on the council, of which he is a member, would meet on Monday night next to consider the nomination. The coalition of Fine Gael, Labour, Sinn Féin, Cumhacht and several Independents currently holds the majority on the local authority.
The Fine Gael Whip on Galway County Council, Cllr Jarlath McDonagh said yesterday he had an open mind on the matter, but said Ms Scallon had a democratic right to run, and was a neighbour of his. As a matter of courtesy, her name should be considered by the local authority, he said.
The Roscommon Independent councillor, Mr Luke "Ming" Flanagan, who has been synonymous with campaigns to legalise cannabis, also said that he would have no difficulty in supporting her nomination before his local authority.
He would do it, he said, "for democracy's sake" and would not vote for her in the eventual election because he is no fan of her right wing politics.
"Dana rang me on Sunday night, and I told her I would have no problem nominating her at Roscommon County Council. I won't be voting for her, because she doesn't stand for what I stand for, but I think the people should be allowed to decide," said Cllr Flanagan.
"I don't go along with the idea that Mary McAleese is not connected to Fianna Fáil. She is the Fianna Fáil candidate and they should come out and admit that. Personally, I think I will vote for Eamon Ryan, the Green Party candidate" Cllr Flanagan said.
"Mary McAleese is not exactly a bastion of liberalism, and if it was just her and Dana on the ticket, I don't think I would bother voting. There wouldn't be any point.
