Ryan campaign: Green Party TD Mr Eamon Ryan should have enough signatures from Labour Party TDs and senators to secure him a presidential nomination, according to early tallies.
Mr Ryan can already count on six Green votes, along with three Independent Oireachtas members, TDs Mr Finian McGrath, Mr Tony Gregory, and Senator Shane Ross.
Besides the signature of the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, the Dublin South TD should have the support of 11 other Labour Parliamentary Party members.
However, Mr Rabbitte would prefer that the Greens managed to get the majority of the nomination votes required from Independent TDs.
Though Labour was tight-lipped yesterday, it is worried that the party membership will rebel if Mr Ryan is nominated solely on the back of Labour votes. If necessary, the party's deputy leader, Ms Liz McManus, and Dún Laoghaire TD, Mr Eamon Gilmore, would also be prepared to sign.
However, Dublin West TD Ms Joan Burton said it was "stupid" to talk about nominating Mr Ryan before the Greens had made up their own minds.
"I get very mixed vibes from the Greens, so I want to see what they do first. I have not been approached, and I want to be asked.
"There is a lot of resentment amongst Labour Party people about not nominating Michael D. and then nominating somebody else," she told The Irish Times.
The chairwoman of the Labour National Executive Council, Kerry South TD Ms Breeda Moynihan-Cronin said: "I have not been approached, but I would not stop the contest.
"I would be prepared to sign, but that is all that I would be prepared to do. I don't think that I would be putting any resources, or funding behind it," she said.
Galway West TD, Mr Michael D. Higgins, whose dreams of the presidency have now ended, said he, too, would sign, despite his own disappointment.
Former Labour deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin said he would have preferred that Labour would have taken "a corporate view" on the signatures questions.
"That is not to be the case. Certainly, as an individual, I would have no difficulty facilitating Eamon Ryan standing in this election," he said.
West Cork-based Senator Mr Michael McCarthy said: "I have no difficulty subscribing to the nomination of Eamon Ryan, but I would have a huge hang-up about supporting the campaign."
Agreeing, Limerick East TD Ms Jan O'Sullivan said: "I don't think we should block a party standing, particularly a party that we be interested going into coalition with.
"I have always felt that there should be a contest. If the Greens have a candidate who wants to stand, then we should facilitate them."
Tipperary North senator Ms Kathleen O'Meara said she had "a lot of time" for Mr Ryan's commitment to the environment: "I think he would make a fine candidate." The presidency, she believed, should be decided by election: "That would be healthier for the presidency and whoever wins the contest."
However, Dublin North Central TD Mr Joe Costello was opposed, saying that Labour had had "a perfectly good candidate" of their own in Mr Higgins.
"In conscience I could not support any other candidate in these circumstances.
"My constituency council was unanimous that I should not sign anybody else's nomination papers."
Cork North Central TD Ms Kathleen Lynch agreed: "It is a bit ridiculous for the party to decide not to run and then sign somebody else's papers.
The events of the last week had "left a bitter taste in the mouth" and caused upset for party grassroots who would have "gone out and canvassed" for Mr Higgins. "I would have loved it if Michael D. had run. He would have made a very fine candidate. I am not saying that he would have won."
Dublin South Central TD, Ms Mary Upton said Labour should not support Mr Ryan, though it had made the right decision not to contest the presidency itself. "My personal view is that we should not have a contest. I am basing that on the tremendous popularity of Mrs McAleese. That is what I am hearing on the doorsteps.
"I have never seen so much positive support for anybody. I am talking about Labour Party supporters who are coming up saying that they are quite happy with her.
"It is also an issue of public money. At this point in time to be indulging in an election - the outcome of which we know before we even start - doesn't seem right," she said.
Dublin North East TD, Mr Tommy Broughan, who strongly supported Mr Higgins's entry into the race, said he would not sign either.
