MEETING:THE THREE defeated candidates in the Fianna Fáil leadership contest pledged full support to new leader Micheál Martin at the conclusion of the parliamentary party meeting yesterday.
The only issue on the agenda was the election of a new leader, but Taoiseach Brian Cowen addressed the assembled TDs, Senators and MEPs at the beginning of the meeting.
Mr Cowen, who stepped down as party leader last Saturday, said it had been a great honour to have served as Fianna Fáil’s seventh leader. He said Fianna Fáil needed to remain united and he would offer whatever support he could to the party and the new leader. He received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech.
Party chairman John Browne (Wexford) then confirmed the nominees for the position of leader and asked for them to be formally proposed and seconded.
Former minister for foreign affairs Micheál Martin was proposed by Minister of State Dara Calleary TD and seconded by Minister of State Áine Brady. Minister Éamon Ó Cuív was proposed by Sligo/Leitrim TD Eamon Scanlon and seconded by Galway East deputy Micheál Kitt.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan was proposed by Minister of State Seán Connick and seconded by Meath East TD Thomas Byrne. Minister Mary Hanafin was to be proposed by Minister Pat Carey, but he was delayed so Michael Mulcahy (Dublin South-Central) proposed her, and she was seconded by Tipperary North TD Máire Hoctor. TDs were the only members of the parliamentary party entitled to vote.
Deputies’ names were called out in alphabetical order and they collected their ballot papers, went into the room next door and inserted their votes into the ballot box which had been used for the motion of confidence in Mr Cowen last week. “All the infrastructure was still there,” one TD said.
The retiring Cavan-Monaghan TD Dr Rory O’Hanlon and Cork North-West deputy Michael Moynihan, who served as tellers in the motion of confidence vote, were again selected to fill that role.
Counting got under way at about 2.50pm using the system of PR-STV (proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote).
Just as Mr Martin’s success was being announced by the tellers, TDs heard the Dáil bells calling them to the chamber for a vote.
When they returned to Fianna Fáil’s party rooms on the fifth floor of Leinster House after the vote, each of the three defeated candidates spoke briefly and pledged full support to the new leader. Mr Martin then spoke, saying his election to leader was a great honour for himself and his family. He said he would do his best for the party through what would be a very difficult election and be heavily involved in reorganising Fianna Fáil in a post-election scenario.
