The Labour Party may support Green Party TD Mr Eamon Ryan's presidential election ambitions following President Mary McAleese's decision yesterday to seek another term of office. Mark Hennessy and Arthur Beesley report
Under the rules, Mr Ryan needs the signatures of 20 Oireachtas members, but hopes these can come from Independent TDs and senators and members of smaller parties have all but evaporated.
However, Labour could sign the papers, particularly since its National Executive Council, with considerable misgivings, is increasingly likely to decide not to run a Labour candidate in the election, scheduled for October 22nd.
Launching her own election campaign in Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday, President McAleese said she wanted another period in "the best job in Ireland, one of the most important jobs in Ireland".
Seeking cross-party support, the President said she had been "very, very encouraged" by the complimentary remarks frequently made about her by the leader of Fine Gael, Mr Enda Kenny.
Yesterday the Green Party's six-strong Parliamentary Party unanimously endorsed Mr Ryan's candidacy, though reservations still remain about the party's ability to fund a campaign.
The party's 40-strong National Council will make a final decision in Clonakilty in Co Cork on Saturday, but the party's deputy leader, Cllr Mary White, has expressed her doubts. Speaking to The Irish Times, she said: "I would be on the cautious wing of the party about entering the election. I would like to see us gearing up for the next general election.
"We had a mixed local election. We lost the two European seats. I would be in favour of us conserving our resources and our manpower," she said.
Although few in the party appeared to be aware of it, the Greens would qualify for €260,000 worth of State electoral funding if Mr Ryan runs and wins more than 12.5 per cent of the first-preference vote.
Fine Gael will be asked to offer a number of experts for President McAleese's campaign team, which will begin to be formed today, to work alongside people from other parties, the President's spokeswoman told The Irish Times.
In reply, Fine Gael said: "If she was to come looking to Fine Gael for support, then we would give that due consideration, and given everything said so far, we would be happy to say, 'Yes'."
Privately, Fine Gael believes that Mr Kenny's decision not to run a candidate has been vindicated, pointing to the difficulties now facing the Labour Party on foot of the Green Party's move.
Yesterday, the Labour deputy leader, Ms Liz McManus, and a former minister, Mr Brendan Howlin, both said Labour would have to consider supporting Mr Ryan's nomination, if Labour chose not to run a candidate.
Although the party is far from united on its attitude, the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, could find it difficult to stop individual Labour TDs signing Mr Ryan's papers.
Given that possibility, Labour could yet decide to seize some advantage out of the situation by supporting Mr Ryan, yet avoiding having to face the full cost of a campaign itself.
However, the Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, may have weakened his hand by refusing to tie his party's attitude to subsequent coalition negotiations with Labour to the Presidential race.
He said: "I am not going to confuse the office of President with a possible national coalition. The office of the President should not be seen in any way to be linked to the national coalition."
Meanwhile, Mr Ryan said he would not approach Labour Oireachtas members to sign his papers if Labour decided not to run a candidate itself. "Each party has its own processes. I would not want to interfere with them."
A Green/Labour campaign, if it subsequently managed to secure a respectable first-preference vote, could help strengthen Labour in its relationship with Fine Gael.
Last night, Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins became the latest Independent or small party Oireachtas member to rule out signing Mr Ryan's nomination papers.