Gay Byrne refuses to rule out Áras bid

GAY BYRNE has refused to rule himself out of a run at the presidency as it emerged that some members of the Oireachtas may consider approaching him with an offer of support.

The former host of The Late Late Show is currently holidaying in Co Donegal and recently had a serious health scare, during which, he admitted, he believed he might die. He has now recovered from the virus which two weeks ago seriously restricted his breathing and led to him being rushed from his Dublin 4 home to St Vincent’s Hospital.

The Road Safety Authority chairman, who turned 77 yesterday, spoke about the episode yesterday during an interview on RTÉ radio, during which he also refused to rule out the possibility of a tilt at the presidency.

Reacting to an ad hoc poll conducted on 4FM, in which he received backing from 46% of contributors when his name wasn’t even presented to listeners among the choices, Mr Byrne said: “It was extraordinary as my name wasn’t put forward at all. It’s quite amazing and complimentary and very nice.”

He admitted: “I never said I was interested in the least in this whole thing,” adding: “It is kind of encouraging and it is kind of stupefying. I don’t know where it came from or how it came from.

“I would have to take some considerable persuasion,” he said when asked if he might consider entering the race for the Áras.

“It hasn’t been on my horizon. I would rather go on doing what I am doing with For One Night Only and The Meaning of Life and my Lyric FM programme on Sunday afternoon.

“Let the clamour continue. Could we leave this question and come back to it at a later date and see what happens?”

It has emerged that Mr Byrne might be under consideration by some independent Oireachtas members as a potential candidate.

However, that voting group is thought to be looking at a number of viable candidates and wants to achieve consensus on one name before approaching that person and putting them forward with the required backing so they can officially enter the race.

The presidential race is seen as wide open following the withdrawal earlier this week of Senator David Norris. Independent TD Finian McGrath was one of Mr Norris’s key supporters and said on Thursday that it might be possible for another person, not affiliated to a political party, to enter the race.

“My objective is to get agreement on one credible person and go to that person and say ‘we have a number of people here who are prepared to back you’,” he said.

It is understood it could be the end of August before any agreement is reached, although it is believed soundings have already been taken from some prospective candidates.

Fianna Fáil said it would not be commenting on reports it had failed in a bid to make Mr Byrne its candidate.