PDs alter rules to elect leader
However, the party continues to lose senior figures, with confirmation that the general secretary, John Higgins, is to resign after a decade in the position.
The general council of the PDs met in Dublin over the weekend to discuss the leadership and other issues. Ms Harney has made it clear she does not want to remain as leader for the long term. She returned to the role only after Michael McDowell, the party’s leader going into the general election, lost his seat and retired.
The party has had to change its rules to allow senators O’Malley and Cannon put their names forward. Up to now, the rules stated that only a TD could lead the party, but apart from Ms Harney, the PDs have just one other TD, Noel Grealish, and he is not interested in the job.
At the weekend meeting, the general council agreed rule changes to allow for senators, councillors or party members to put their names forward to contest the leadership. That raises the possibility that candidates other than senators O’Malley and Cannon will contest the race. The party’s national executive will meet this Thursday to agree a closing date for nominations for the leadership contest.
Meanwhile, Mr Higgins informed those at the weekend meeting of his intention to leave the general secretary role after 10 years. Mr Higgins is moving on to the position of chief executive at the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland.
Elsewhere, former PD junior minister Tim O’Malley said it was “unacceptable” of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to accept money from businessmen in the early 1990s.
Speaking on Newstalk 106FM, Mr O’Malley, who also lost his seat at the general election, said he was “not happy” about the Taoiseach’s difficulties at the Mahon Tribunal.
“I don’t know the exact totals of the monies he got, but that is not acceptable behaviour for any minister for finance — it never was and it never would be.”
However, Mr O’Malley said the tribunal should be allowed finish its work rather than the PDs pull out of government based on what had emerged so far.
