There are two by-elections pending, one of which occurs next month, the other in the autumn. The writ was moved this week in the Seanad to replace Labour's Sean Ryan who won the Dublin North seat in March and the select electorate, 224 members of the Oireachtas, will vote before the summer recess. The Dail by-election for the Cork South Central seat held by the late Hugh Coveney is six months away, as Fine Gael, which will move the writ, and others, do not want it interfering with the referendums on the Belfast Agreement and the Amsterdam Treaty.
The old Rainbow - FG, Labour and DL - has come together again to back former senator, Sam McAughtry, who has been nominated by the ICTU for the Seanad. The only other nominating body to the labour panel, where the vacancy occurs, is the Irish Conference of Professional and Service Associations and here the Government's difficulty arises. The FF/PD Government has a majority in Leinster House and even if they don't stick together, which they might not on this, the Fianna Fail choice should win the day. But will the ICPSA nominate someone suitable? Given yesterday's stand-off between the Government and the Garda, they may not.
Gardai, as well as bank officials, the Army and teachers are all heavily involved in the ICPSA - and gardai actually control its executive. The president is P.J. Stone, acting general secretary of the Garda Representative Association, its honorary secretary is John Healy, president of the GRA and its honorary treasurer in George Maybury, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors.
The association has yet to meet to discuss whom to select from those seeking nominations and FF has yet to decide on whom to suggest to it. The association says voting strength reflects membership and the gardai will not control the selection. FF meanwhile are seeking someone with good labour credentials.