Bertie doesn’t want a FF ‘plonker’ in Kildare

BERTIE AHERN doesn’t want a “plonker” candidate selected by Fianna Fáil tonight to contest the Kildare bye-election.

As the Meath and Kildare North bye-election campaigns got into full swing, Fianna Fáil appeared to make the first election promise as Minister for Transport Martin Cullen hinted that a rail link to Navan was in the pipeline.

In what was viewed as a reference to Charlie McCreevy’s influence over the local party organisation, the Taoiseach told his party’s TDs and senators that he didn’t want to see “dynasties” controlling the outcome of the selection convention in Maynooth for their own benefit.

Stating that he didn’t want to see a “plonker” becoming the candidate, Mr Ahern said he hoped the local party organisation would select a candidate that would be capable of winning the seat. He added that he wanted those who had the power in the local organisation to ensure a good candidate was selected.

According to Fianna Fáil sources, Mr Ahern’s comments were quite obviously a dig at Mr McCreevy and shocked some of the TDs and senators in attendance at the weekly meeting of the parliamentary party on Tuesday night.

“You’d think he was at the end of a bar, rather than at a parliamentary party meeting,” a TD said.

Tonight’s convention is being contested by five candidates but Fianna Fáil headquarters’ favoured candidate is widely perceived to be Áine Kitt-Brady, sister of Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt and FF senator Michael Kitt and wife of former FF TD Jerry Brady.

Meanwhile, following meetings with business and community groups in Meath, Minister Cullen announced that he was “closing in on a rail infrastructure deal for Meath commuters.”