The race for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party became even more competitive yesterday with the entry of Wicklow TD Ms Liz McManus and Westmeath TD Mr Willie Penrose.
In all, eight Labour TDs will be in the contest to be decided by the party's 3,500 eligible voting membership in late October.
Four are contesting the leadership and four are in the contest for the post of deputy leader.
Putting forward his candidature, Mr Penrose, the popular Westmeath TD, acknowledged that some in the party believed that he and leadership candidate Mr Pat Rabbitte could form a "dream team".
"I have no problem with that 'team', but until the field crystallises there are two separate elections," he told The Irish Times, pointing out that he and Mr Rabbitte could represent Labour's urban and rural ranks.
"But there is no formal alliance. It is a matter for the Labour membership to decide," said Mr Penrose, who added that the election contest had "reinvigorated" the party's membership.
He said the general election outcome made it clear "that the Labour Party has a job on its hands in the next few years to broaden its electoral support.
"In putting myself forward as a candidate for the deputy leadership, I am passionately committed to reasserting the values of solidarity and inclusiveness that fired Tom Johnson, Jim Larkin and James Connolly."
He rejected the economic creed of the Tánaiste and Progressive Democrat leader, Ms Harney, which he said favoured deregulation - "a survival of the fittest approach to economic policy".
"Mary Harney would favour Boston. I am unapologetic in my support of the European social democratic approach, which seeks to find ways of reducing the inequalities generated by globalisation without reducing competitiveness and growth."
Wicklow TD Ms Liz McManus said that Labour needed a "balanced leadership that reflects both gender and geographic diversity", but she said that she would not be part of an election pact.
"I don't think that presenting as a package makes a whole lot of sense. You might alienate people who you might have expected would vote for you. I don't intend to do that," she said."This is the first time that the members of any major political party will have the opportunity to directly elect its leader and its deputy leader."
Emphasising the deputy leader's distinct role under Labour's constitution, she said that the person who is elected should help to develop policy, to help the organisation to grow and promote Labour at home and abroad.
