FINE GAEL:SENIOR FINE Gael figures have described the result of Gay Mitchell's campaign as disappointing but Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said neither the party nor Enda Kenny was damanged by the result.
Mr Mitchell secured 113,321 first-preference votes, coming in fourth place behind Sinn Féin candidate Martin McGuinness, who got 243,030.
He left Dublin Castle once the first count was announced shortly after 9pm last night. “I’m delighted for Michael. He’ll make a fine president. Sabina will make an excellent first lady. I’m very grateful to my wife and my children and my family generally. The country has made a decision. We all must respect that and I will work with Michael. He’ll be a fine president.”
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said it was a difficult day for Mr Mitchell and his family and said the candidate was entitled to 24 or 48 hours to come to terms with the result. “Politics can be quite cruel on occasion,” he said.
Mr Shatter said the electorate had been seeking someone “perceived to be at least somewhat independent if not entirely independent from party politics”. Mr Higgins had a long career in politics, “but also had all the other areas of his life – writing poetry, lecturing – that perhaps made him a more attractive candidate to the general public in this election.”
He insisted Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Fine Gael were not in any way damaged by the result.
Senior Fine Gael adviser Frank Flannery said the party had lessons to learn. He said research before the campaign showed people took pride in the presidency but “wanted it to have nothing to do with political rough and tumble”.
Mr Flannery said Fine Gael had selected a very able candidate who was known primarily as a politician. “He described himself as a businessman whose business was politics,” Mr Flannery said.
“Despite his undoubted capability, he didn’t fit the profile. He was always lagging and never became part of the story. The main dynamic was around Michael D Higgins and Seán Gallagher, and he wasn’t part of that story.”
Fine Gael Ministers Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar also described the result as disappointing for Fine Gael.
Director of elections and parliamentary party chairman Charlie Flanagan said party loyalties had been less important in this election than in the general election in February.
