Doyle to be fourth candidate for FG presidential race
The 62-year-old’s decision to enter the race comes after party TDs contacted her in recent weeks asking her to put herself forward, sources close to her campaign said last night.
During a close contest in 1997, Ms Doyle was defeated by Mary Banotti for the FG nomination for the Presidential election.
Ms Doyle’s decision to again seek the party’s backing brings to four the number of Fine Gael candidates seeking nomination.
Supporter and Wexford TD Liam Twomey yesterday told RTÉ radio: “She has been getting a huge number of correspondence and people asking her to stand in this election.
“We like to see our President in our schools. We like to see our President where we work and we like to see our President when we honour each other’s achievements. And I think Avril is good at that and I think Avril Doyle has that close connection with people as well as the intelligence and experience and credibility to be a good President for Ireland.”
He said Ms Doyle would have time in the next three weeks to lobby FG members before the party’s selection on July 9.
A former senator as well as a TD, Ms Doyle was also a minister of state at the Department of Finance in the 1980s. She was elected as an MEP in 1999 and 2004.
Campaign sources last night said she decided to enter the race after former taoiseach John Bruton ruled himself out of the running.
Backers want her to put herself forward as an alternative to party MEPs Gay Mitchell and Mairead McGuinness and former European Parliament president Pat Cox, who are all seeking the FG nomination.
Meanwhile, US-based Irish publisher and journalist Niall O’Dowd is this week expected to seek support for his bid to enter the Presidential race.
The founder of the Irish Voice newspaper may travel to Dublin to lobby Sinn Féin or Fianna Fáil TDs for a nomination, say reports.
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