The Government has decided the presidential election will take place on Thursday, October 30th. The closing date for nominations will be Tuesday, September 30th. These decisions, taken at the last Cabinet meeting before the month-long summer break, mean the President, Mrs Robinson's successor will be elected after a short campaign.
Polling stations will remain open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Thursday, which falls before the Hallowe'en weekend.
Meanwhile, Mrs Mary Banotti, MEP, may be the only contender for the Fine Gael nomination when the parliamentary party meets on Thursday to select its candidate.
Some TDs privately express misgivings about the short period of 48 hours notice allowed for the submission of party nominations.
Fine Gael members were informed by post yesterday it was intended to select a candidate for the presidency at a meeting on Thursday. Nominations, which need the backing of five members of the parliamentary party, close at noon tomorrow. Official sources signalled yesterday that Mrs Banotti, elected three times to the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency, would be the strongest, if not the only, contender for the nomination.
A former Fine Gael minister, Mrs Gemma Hussey, told The Irish Times that if approached to stand, she would be interested. But she would need to be sure that the party would be behind her. "It would be a very serious proposition that I would have to consider," she said.
There was speculation yesterday that former minister of state, Mrs Avril Doyle, may be proposed. She is contesting the Senate election.
Mrs Banotti's name has been the only one to feature in party polls on the question of the presidency, however. Sources claim she is recording a rating of more than 30 per cent, higher than the expected Fianna Fail candidate, Mr Albert Reynolds. The only Fianna Fail contender to beat her, in the internal Fine Gael polls, is Mrs Maire Geoghegan-Quinn with a rating of 35 to 37 per cent.
Fianna Fail and the Labour Party are not expected to nominate their presidential candidates until September. Former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, remains the only contender who has informed the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, of his interest in the party nomination.
