LEADERSHIP NOMINATIONS:NOMINATIONS FOR the leadership of Fianna Fáil will close at noon tomorrow and the new leader will be formally elected on Wednesday morning, the Government Chief Whip, Tom Kitt, announced last night.
Flanked by the chairman of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, Séamus Kirk, Mr Kitt said arrangements had been made for a special meeting of the parliamentary party at 9am on Wednesday to elect the new leader. Nominations for leader will have to be proposed and seconded in writing by Fianna Fáil TDs according to the rules for the leadership election.
The electorate is made up of the 77 TDs who are members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party. The Ceann Comhairle, John O'Donoghue, is no longer a member of the parliamentary party because of his constitutional office, while the 28 Senators and four MEPs do not have a vote.
Although Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has not formally announced he is a candidate, Mr Kitt said it was quite clear that Mr Cowen would be putting his name forward.
He also expressed the hope that there would be a seamless transition to the new leader without a contest but added that every Fianna Fáil TD was entitled to put themselves forward.
"A seamless transition is what the Taoiseach would like and that is what we would all like to see. Clearly, it would be the preferred option, but we are a democratic party and every TD has the right to contest the leadership," he said.
Mr Kitt added that the person selected as party leader would be nominated for the position of taoiseach in the Dáil on May 7th.
Bertie Ahern has said he will resign the office on Tuesday, May 6th.
