Noonan backs Cox as race for the Áras hots up

FINANCE Minister Michael Noonan has formally endorsed Pat Cox’s campaign to represent Fine Gael in October’s presidential election.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, however, has not yet publicly declared which of the four candidates party TDs and senators should vote for next weekend.

Mr Noonan signed the nomination papers for the former president of the European Parliament ahead of last week’s meeting to nominate candidates.

Sources in the Cox camp were eager to point out he had the support of the most senior minister after the former party leader, John Bruton, declared his support for MEP Gay Mitchell.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter also declared his support for Mr Mitchell who, along with Mr Cox, MEP Mairead McGuinness and former MEP Avril Doyle, will spend this week lobbying members for support ahead of the weekend vote to select the party’s candidate.

Meanwhile, Éamon Ó Cuiv has not ruled out the possibility of following in his grandfather’s footsteps by running for the presidency.

He could face his former Galway West Labour Party rival, Michael D Higgins, if he joins the race for the Áras but insisted he would not be a “shoo-in” for the job.

Fianna Fáil has not yet made a decision on running a candidate but Mr Ó Cuiv said he was in favour of the party doing so.

“What is the argument for us not running one? We are a political party: political parties usually run in elections,” he said.

The grandson of Éamon de Valera also argued that Fianna Fáil’s poor support levels should not discourage the party from running a candidate.

“If parties and individuals only ran in elections if they were sure of success, ballot papers would be a lot shorter than they are,” he said.

An opinion poll published yesterday shows Mr Cox has passed out Ms McGuinness as the most popular of the four Fine Gael contenders.

But Senator David Norris (Ind) remains the public’s number one choice for the Áras, with 37% of support according to the Sunday Independent/Quantum Research poll.