A Fianna Fáil senator has supported claims by his constituency organisation about a lack of democracy in the party. The Dublin North East constituency organisation has protested to the Taoiseach over the imposition of general election candidates without a selection convention.
Senator Liam Fitzgerald said the party organisation in his Dublin North East constituency was seeking to have democracy restored in Fianna Fáil and it had his full support.
The Fianna Fáil national constituency committee decided last week not to hold a selection convention in Dublin North East and has nominated the two sitting TDs, Michael Woods and Martin Brady, to run for the party in the election.
Dublin North East joins seven other constituencies where the final decision on candidate selection has been made by the committee rather than at a convention. In some other constituencies candidates have been added to the ticket after conventions.
The Dublin North East constituency organisation yesterday published the text of a letter sent to Bertie Ahern last week protesting at the decision.
"The officer board of the Fianna Fáil organisation in Dublin North East wishes to put on record its disapproval of the irregular imposition of electoral candidates.
"Two candidates have been imposed without the prescribed due process of convention through which any aspiring candidate can, through democratic means, seek nomination," said the letter, which was signed by constituency chairman John Clare and six other members of the officer board.
"By denying the party organisation in Dublin North East the democratic process that is afforded by a convention, the party's democratic integrity has been seriously diminished. Democracy cannot be suspended on a whim for the expedient of eliminating any possible competition.
"The local organisation is, therefore, calling on you, Taoiseach, to disassociate yourself from this shameful episode. It is also calling on the two candidates to decline acceptance of nominations that do not have the endorsement of the local organisation."
The letter added that the worthiness of the two candidates would be considerably enhanced if they declined their "flawed nominations" and submitting themselves to a proper convention.
A spokeswoman for Fianna Fáil said the national constituency committee had been empowered at the last national executive meeting to deal with any outstanding selection issues.
"There are two candidates on the ticket. Both of them are TDs and both ran extremely successful campaigns last time around. The issue for the organisation now is to get behind them and ensure they are re-elected."
However, Mr Fitzgerald said the officer board of the constituency had made its position clear after many unsuccessful attempts to get the attention of headquarters and the party leader.
Mr Fitzgerald was a TD from 1982 to 1997, when he lost his seat to Mr Brady. He did not contest the last general election, but was elected to the Seanad.
