Green Party bid for presidency: Green Party TD Mr Eamon Ryan faces a major battle in his bid to secure 20 Oireachtas nominations to run for the Presidency.Independent TDs and senators express little interest insupporting Dublin South TD
Independent TDs and senators, interviewed by The Irish Times yesterday, expressed little interest in supporting the Dublin South TD.
Currently, the Greens have six TDs; the Independents, including ex-Fianna Fáil TD, Ms Beverley Flynn, stand at 14; Sinn Féin have five, while there are six independent senators.
However, Sinn Féin has already made it clear that they will be supporting President McAleese, who will today announce her decision to seek another term.
Dublin Central Independent TD Mr Tony Gregory, who is willing to support Mr Ryan, openly doubted that the Green TD would reach his target.
During meetings last week with Mr Ryan, Mr Gregory said he had told him he believed there should be a Presidential election.
"I told him that if he was the only credible candidate, and if he had sufficient nomination votes along with mine, then I would be very happy to sign on that basis.
"He was happy enough with that, but I did say to him that I did not think that he would get enough votes to win a nomination," he said.
Questioned by The Irish Times last night, Tipperary South Independent TD, Mr Seán Healy said: "I would have to think about it."
Some Independent TDs doubt the sense of pushing the matter to an election when, as one said, "all that will happen is that McAleese will win and we will be handing a victory to the Government".
Independent senator Mr Joe O'Toole described Mr Ryan as "a fine character", but said that he would be unlikely to sign his nomination papers.
"I think he is admirable, but it would be inappropriate for me as an Independent to support someone who runs on a party ticket, in terms of my own electorate."
However, he acknowledged he would have to review his attitude if former Independent MEP, Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon managed to get a nomination.
Wicklow County Council was one of the local authorities to support Ms Scallon in 1999, when four local authorities signed her nomination papers.
Last night, Wicklow Independent TD Ms Mildred Fox said she would not sign Mr Ryan's nomination papers "under any circumstances".
"There is a poor relationship between the Greens and everybody here in Wicklow, on planning and on virtually everything else," she told The Irish Times.
However, she will not support Ms Scallon's election campaign either. Asked to describe her opinion of the former MEP, she said: "Not really. Nothing printable, anyway.
"I made it quite clear then [in 1999] that she was quite entitled to run, but that I would not be supporting her. Having a contest just for the sake of having a contest will just put the country to unnecessary expense," she said.
Surprised by the announcement, Independent Cavan/Monaghan TD, Mr Paudge Connolly said he believed Mr Ryan would first seek Fine Gael and Labour support.
"They have the basis for this potential Rainbow. He must have the support already organised before making his announcement," Mr Connolly said.
Sligo/Leitrim MEP Ms Marian Harkin also ruled out supporting Mr Ryan.
"On a personal level I will be supporting Mary McAleese. I have not spoken to Eamon Ryan, nor have I spoken to Dana. Dana and Derek Nally managed to get nominations the last time, but maybe that was because it was the first time it happened," she said.
Independent Mayo TD Mr Jerry Cowley said he, too, would be supporting President McAleese, partly because of her help for a sheltered housing project in Mulranny, Co Mayo.
"I think it is a good idea to have an election. It is good for democracy, but I do think that we have a really excellent President. She, and her husband, Martin, has done an awful lot of good work on the North/South divide. They have been really important in that whole process," he said.
Dublin North Central Independent TD Mr Finian McGrath, who spoke to Mr Ryan about his potential candidacy late last week, said he was prepared to have further discussions.
"I welcome the fact that we are now possibly going to have two candidates. These people are seriously putting their names out there. That is good for the office, good for democracy," he said.
Independent Wexford TD Mr Liam Twomey said he would have "no real objection" to Mr Ryan's candidacy, though he had not given the matter "any real thought".
Independent senator Dr Mary Henry said she was also a McAleese supporter: "She has been a friend of mine for a very long time, and her husband. I am quite sure that he will find plenty of people to nominate him," said the Trinity senator.
