Bruton expected to publicly back FG candidate

FORMER Taoiseach John Bruton is expected to come out with a public endorsement next week of the Fine Gael candidate seeking to win his seat in the Meath by-election.

Members of the Bruton family have been canvassing for Shane McEntee but the EU Ambassador to Washington has yet to come out and publicly encourage voters to support the Fine Gael candidate.

Although Mr Bruton is believed to be highly conscious of his present apolitical position, it is understood he will break his silence on the election in an interview in a local newspaper next week, just days before polling day on March 11.

Traditionally in Meath, Fine Gael lags well behind Fianna Fáil in terms of electoral support, but party strategists are hoping the endorsement will encourage its voters on the day.

“You have a loyal Fine Gael vote. There is that incentive there for them to come out and vote,” a source said.

The chances of a Fine Gael and Labour double in the ‘commuter-belt’ by-elections was being significantly played up by the opposition parties yesterday.

Despite predictions from Fianna Fáil that a win for the Government is likely in both constituencies, FG strategists feel that it is between Fine Gael and Labour in Kildare North and Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in Meath.

Yesterday, senior party sources dismissed the prospects of the bookies favourite in Kildare, Independent Cllr Catherine Murphy, claiming that she was not polling well outside her own area of Leixlip in places like Naas, Clane and Celbridge.

“In our view Catherine Murphy has no hope at all. In our view she will get around 12% to 14%,” the sources said.

Describing the Fianna Fáil campaign as being hampered by a “disaffected McCreevy rump,” Fine Gael strategists feel that the first count will see FF’s Áine Brady, FG’s Darren Scully and Labour’s Paddy McNamara clearly out in front.

The opposition parties are then hoping that the celebrated transfer pact will kick in to push them ahead of Fianna Fáil.