Paddy Power bookmakers have placed the Labour Party deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, as the 6-4 on favourite to take over as leader of the party following Mr Ruairí Quinn's decision to "pass on the baton".
In November 1997, when Mr Dick Spring retired as party leader, Wexford TD Mr Howlin (46) ran against Mr Quinn in the leadership election and lost by only 10 votes.
|
|
Mr Brendan Howlin
|
The former teacher was first elected to the Dáil in 1987 and served as Minister for Health and Minister for the Environment during previous governments. He is currently a sitting TD for Wexford.
Among the other possible contenders are Mr Eamon Gilmore, Mr Pat Rabbitte, Ms Liz McManus and Ms Joan Burton.
Quoted at 3-1 against, Mr Eamon Gilmore (47) from Galway was first elected to the Dáil in 1989 with the Worker’s Party but he later joined the Democratic Left and then Labour when the two parties amalgamated.
The former trade union official with ITGWU (now SIPTU) served as minister of State for the Department of the Marine in the rainbow government from 1994-1997. He is currently a sitting TD for Dún Laoghaire.
Mr Pat Rabitte (53) from Mayo is 6-1 against. He too was first elcected to the Dáil in 1989 as a Worker’s Party TD. He later joined the Democratic Left and then Labour.
During the rainbow government, Mr Rabitte served as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. He was formerly a trade union official with ITGWU. He is a sitting TD for Dublin South West.
Ms Liz McManus is a TD for Wicklow. She was first elected to the Dáil as a Democratic Left TD in 1992 and served as Minister of State for Housing & Urban Renewal during the rainbow government from 1994-1997. She is an architect and an author.
Ms Joan Burton was re-elected to the Dáil as TD for Dublin West after losing her seat in the 1997 election. She was first elected to the Dáil in 1992 where she served as Minister of State for Social Welfare and Minister for Overseas Development in previous governments. She lectures in finance at DIT Aungier St, Dublin.
How the new leader will be elected:
- All estimated 3,500 paid party members have the right to vote
- Nominations for party leader and deputy leader open on September 4th and close on September 18th
- Ballot papers will be sent by post no later than October 4th
- The poll closes at noon on October 25th
- Nominations must be in writing and signed by a member of the Dáil
- A member of the Dáil may nominate themselves or be nominated by another member
- A member can be nominated for leader and deputy leader
- The returning officer will be the party general secretary, Mr Mike Allen
- The method of election will be single transferable vote
- Votes will be counted similarly to procedures at a presidential election
