THE Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, has ruled out seeking a nomination elsewhere for the Seanad elections following her surprise failure to be nominated by the Labour Party. Two high profile Ministers of State, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald and Ms Joan Burton, also failed to get nominations.
Ms Breathnach's appointment to the Seanad by the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, last week to fill one of the vacancies created by the election of senators to the Dail, indicated the strong desire of the Labour Party leadership to see her continue as a member of the Oireachtas and rebuild her constituency base in Dun Laoghaire, where she lost her seat in the general election. Ms Fitzgerald lost her seat in Dublin South and Ms Burton in Dublin West.
Ms Breathnach said last night that while she was disappointed she fully accepted the decision. "We have a lot of talent in the Labour Party," she said. "It was a democratic election, and I will be doing everything to ensure that those nominated are elected. I will have a vote as a senator and it will be cast in favour of our candidates."
Ms Breathnach, who was appointed a minister on her first day in the Dail in 1992, is seen as a close associate of the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and intended beginning her Seanad campaign in Kerry next week, if she was nominated.
The five candidates chosen by the party's general council yesterday were the defeated TDs, Mr Joe Costello (Dublin Central), Mr Eamonn Walsh (Dublin South West), Mr Pat Gallagher (Laois Offaly), Mr Sean Ryan (Dublin North) and Ms Kathleen O'Meara, the party's unsuccessful candidate in Tipperary North.
A Labour Party source put down the unexpected result to the makeup of the 47 person general council, which includes not only TDs but members elected by conference, as well as trade union and Labour Youth representatives.
