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Pressure is mounting within Fianna Fáil to put forward Bertie Ahern as their contender in the Presidential Election.
The party hasn’t put forward a presidential candidate since Mary McAleese back in 1997 and remains undecided on whether they’ll field someone this time around. The former Taoiseach has never dismissed the possibility of throwing his hat into the ring, with numerous TDs convinced he represents Fianna Fáil’s strongest shot at securing the Presidency.
It comes as a high-profile SDLP figure has also thrown his weight behind Mr Ahern’s potential bid for the Aras. SDLP MLA Justin McNulty, a former All Ireland football champion with Armagh, has endorsed Mr Ahern, reports the Irish Mirror.
The Newry and Armagh representative, who faced suspension from the SDLP by presidential contender Colum Eastwood last year after departing an Assembly recall to coach the Laois senior Gaelic football squad, praised the former Fianna Fáil chief as a “peacemaker and a link-maker between communities”. Mr Eastwood, who stepped aside as SDLP leader last October following nine years at the helm, announced in June that he was mulling over a presidential campaign.
Nevertheless, Mr McNulty argued that Mr Ahern had “shown a huge ability to build bridges through his capacity to continually focus on consensus rather that confrontation”.
“From both a political and personality perspective Bertie Ahern is widely recognized as a man of the people – he is a people person first and foremost,” he said. “In a rapidly changing society, north and south, Ireland needs more than ever a president that has a proven track record over decades of delivery on the most complex political issues.
“I respect all those who genuinely believe that they can bring a new dynamic to the Áras race. I also believe that Bertie Ahern would be a serious omission from the election ticket.”
A Kerry Fianna Fáil councillor has also thrown his weight behind Bertie Ahern securing his party’s nomination for the Presidency. Cllr Michael Leane, who serves as Cathaoirleach of Listowel Municipal District, believes Mr Ahern was an exceptional leader of Fianna Fáil for more than 14 years.
Cllr Leane maintains the former Taoiseach had a pivotal role in Irish history through the peace process. Mr Ahern’s possible entry into the contest would likely create difficulties for Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, given the pair haven’t been on the best of terms in recent years.
Meanwhile, some within Fianna Fáil reckon that Mr Martin himself would make a superior candidate. Carlow-Kilkenny TD Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere suggested Mr Martin should be the party’s nominee.
The Carlow-Kilkenny representative Mr Cleere became the first party member to endorse Mr Martin for the Áras contest as speculation mounts over who will stand for Fianna Fáil in the forthcoming election. Mr Cleere said: “My personal view is that Micheál [Martin] should put himself forward to be a presidential candidate. I know he’d have a phenomenal backing of the parliamentary party.”
Meanwhile, former Leitrim Fianna Fáil TD and Senator John Ellis suggested that while Mr Ahern would be a “deserving candidate”, he would be taken aback if his former party leader would risk running in a campaign where his past would be subjected to intense scrutiny. Mr Ahern stepped down as Fianna Fail leader after the Mahon Report on political corruption found he had been “untruthful” in his accounts of how large sums of money were deposited into his bank account from wealthy benefactors at the time he was finance minister.
Mr Ellis said: “If he was to run he would probably be more deserving of it than any other candidate. But I would not see Bertie declaring for it as he doesn’t want to give himself the hassle.”
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