17-month delay in by-election ‘not unreasonable’

THE people of Donegal South-West were “not put at a disadvantage” by being left almost a year and a half without full Dáil representation, according to the Taoiseach.

After November 25 was announced as the date for the long-awaited by-election, Brian Cowen refused to accept the 17-month delay in holding it was “unreasonable” as stated in Wednesday’s High Court ruling.

“My view is that the people of Donegal have not been in any way put at a disadvantage because of the fact that there wasn’t a by-election held,” he said during an RTÉ interview, adding that the focus of the Government was to get a four-year plan and a budget through.

As the constituency prepared itself for a three-week campaign, one junior minister said Fianna Fáil is “confident” of winning the seat.

“Donegal has traditionally been a real Fianna Fáil stronghold,” said Science Minister Conor Lenihan. “We have two seats in that particular constituency, the Tánaiste is the incumbent minister and TD in that particular constituency, so if one was to pick any of the four by-election areas, Donegal is the one where we have the strongest chances,” he said.

Fianna Fáil has not yet selected a candidate and will do so at a convention on Sunday. Senator Brian O Domhnaill is likely to be selected after the former holder of the seat, MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher, said neither he nor his wife plan to contest it.

Government Chief Whip John Curran refused to rule out putting forward Packie Bonner as the Fianna Fáil contestant, but said he had no information to support speculation that the former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper is interested in running.

After the writ was moved in the Dáil, the opposition piled on the pressure for the other three by-elections with Fine Gael saying they would take similar court proceedings to force by-elections in Waterford and Dublin South.

During a number of angry outbursts which led to the Dáil being suspended twice yesterday morning, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny accused the Government of using taxpayers’ money to “prolong its stay” in power. An appeal of the High Court’s ruling on the reasonable timeframe for a by-election was an attempt to “refuse the people their mandate”, said Mr Kenny.

Labour leader, Eamon Gilmore, said plans to appeal the ruling “are designed to stop the other three by-elections from going ahead”.

He said: “It is a manifestly political ruse by Government to deprive the Dáil from making a decision to hold the other three by-elections.”

Donegal County Councillor Barry O’Neill will contest for Fine Gael; Frank McBrearty Junior will run for Labour; while Senator Pearse Doherty will contest for Sinn Féin.