Grealish to meet Cannon amid FF move speculation
Mr Grealish — who is one of two remaining PDs in the Dáil — said he has not ruled anything out and confirmed that discussions with Fianna Fáil which began soon after last year’s general election, are ongoing.
Mr Cannon is on holidays but told yesterday’s Galway Independent newspaper there is no truth in rumours that an announcement might be made at the Fianna Fáil “think-in” conference in Galway next month.
“There will be no Fianna Fáil/ Progressive Democrats announcement in Galway,” he said.
It was reported that discussions had taken place on plans to make an announcement at the conference in the Clayton Hotel but were put on hold because full negotiations are not yet complete on Mr Grealish’s switchover.
Mr Grealish said: “It’s no secret that talks have taken place between myself and Fianna Fáil, but I haven’t decided yet about my political future. There will be no announcement at the conference.
“Ciarán Cannon is on holidays at the moment, so I’m going to wait until Ciarán gets back and I will sit down with him and have a talk about my plans and his plans,” said the Galway TD.
If Mr Grealish does break away from the PDs it will leave Health Minister Mary Harney as the only PD deputy in the Dáil.
Mr Grealish has had strong links with Fianna Fáil all his life. He was a party activist in Ógra FF and a delegate to the Comhairle Ceantair in Galway West before joining the PDs in the 1990s.
Mr Grealish was elected a county councillor in 1999 and won a seat in the Dáil at his first attempt in 2002.
A PD spokesperson said last night that any talk of him moving is “speculation” at this stage.
