THE SURPRISE decision by the Government to hold the two Dublin byelections on June 5th was taken following a meeting yesterday of Fianna Fáil Ministers.
They decided to hold the Dublin South and Dublin Central byelections on the same date as the European and local elections, and this was subsequently agreed with Minister for the Environment John Gormley.
Fianna Fáil, which is unlikely to win either seat, is to hold conventions next Wednesday. But it will not insist that the chosen candidate abandons the local election race.
Three of its outgoing councillors in Dublin Central: Tom Stafford, Mary Fitzpatrick and Maurice Ahern – the brother of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern – are all expected to seek the nomination.
Mr Ahern had been one of those in favour of postponing the race until October because he wanted to run for a Dáil nomination with his council seat retained.
Last night, Mr Ahern said he did not want to comment until today.
The final selection of the June date complicates things too for Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald, whose own campaign for European re-election will be launched on Thursday.
Sinn Féin is particularly keen to have her in full-time national politics, but she will not contest the June byelection.
Labour Party Senator Alex White is the favourite to win in Dublin South, but again the party has not chosen its runner in Dublin Central.
The byelection in Dublin Central has been caused by the death of Independent TD Tony Gregory in January.
The Government’s announcement was made in response to a Fine Gael motion seeking the immediate moving of the writs.
However, Mr Gormley poured scorn on Fine Gael’s parliamentary tactics, saying that the byelections would have had to be held a week or so before the June 5th local and Europeans – at considerable extra cost – if Fine Gael had been successful.
“I think the most charitable interpretation is that Fine Gael were simply ignorant of the legislation in this regard, although I take it that they have since been enlightened,” he said.
The Opposition would have been unable to bring the byelection writs back before the Dáil for a further 10 weeks if the Government had not acted in the way that it did last night.
However, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed victory, saying that his action had “forced” the Government into naming dates.
“We thought we might get Dublin South. We didn’t really think that we would get Dublin Central as well,” said a source close to Mr Kenny last night.
In the Dublin South byelection, caused by the death of former minister Séamus Brennan, Cllr John Lahart and Senator Maria Corrigan will contest the seat.
Last night’s announcement came as a shock to many in Fianna Fáil in the two constituencies, who were talking just hours earlier about an October timetable.
Fine Gael will run Senator Paschal Donohoe in Dublin Central, though it is still to hold a convention in Dublin South. Cllr Jim O’Leary will seek the nomination.
