Party ire at idea of Peter Casey as Fianna Fáil taoiseach

Members of Fianna Fáil have poured cold water on Peter Casey’s ambitions to join the party and become taoiseach.

The presidential candidate said he intends to run in the next general election in Donegal, with a view to becoming head of a renewed and revitalised Fianna Fáil, according to an interview with a Sunday paper.

“The Fianna Fáil party was always about the people of Ireland, but I believe the party has lost its way in recent years and lost this position as the party that listens to ordinary people of Ireland and represents their concerns,” he said.

I want to be the one that leads Fianna Fáil back to its natural home as the party of the people, to get outside of the bubble of Dublin and Leinster House and the political and media establishment.

However, Limerick city TD Niall Collins dismissed the idea and said “Peter would want to realise you can’t just rock up to political parties and get your way. I wouldn’t like to see him join Fianna Fáil. There is no place for blanket prejudice in Fianna Fáil.”

Clare TD Timmy Dooley tweeted “Ah we’re ok thanks!!” to reports of Mr Casey’s ambitions. The presidential race runner-up attributed his late surge in support to “middle Ireland feeling tired”.

The businessman had been expected to get about 2% of the vote, but broke away from his competitors after comments about Travellers, and managed to seize more than 23% of the national vote.

The Dragons’ Den investor denied his controversial criticism of Travellers had helped prop up his lacklustre campaign and instead attributed the turn in support to a “breath of fresh air” now coming into politics.

Mr Casey said he felt his support stemmed from “middle Ireland feeling tired” and having to pay all the bills. He had criticised Travellers, saying they never paid taxes and were “basically people camping in someone else’s land”.

The remarks pushed him to the front of media coverage, amid a relatively dull campaign. He denied he had used the “race card” to beef up his support.

But Mr Casey also insisted that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar should apologise for suggesting that he withdraw from the race.

Mr Varadkar, speaking at Dublin Castle, pointed out that anti-Traveller comments had been used in the campaign and he refused to offer Mr Casey an apology.

Nonetheless, Travellers’ groups voiced concern at the electorate’s support for Mr Casey.

These were “worrying developments” for Irish politics, a Pavee Point representative said, and the businessman had used the race card and brought negative politics from the United States to Ireland and made the country “more divisive”.

Mr Casey remains undaunted, suggesting he might have a future in politics, and said he is considering forming a party.

While he said he needed to sit down with his wife and make a decision about his future in politics, he said he would make a decision this week, claiming that his politics was left-of-centre rather that right-of-centre.

Initial polling data suggested pockets of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin supporters had backed him, as well as elderly, rural men.