Labour leadership: Ivana Bacik firm favourite as TDs rule themselves out 

Duncan Smith said he thinks Ivana Bacik, seen here with former Labour leader Alan Kelly, is best placed to lead the party. Picture: Sam Boal

Ivana Bacik is emerging as the firm favourite to take over the leadership of the Labour party as several high profile TDs ruled themselves out of contention.

Following Alan Kelly's announcement on Wednesday that he would be resigning from the leadership of the party, questions have been asked about succession planning, with Ms Bacik, who was elected to the Dáil in a July 2021 by-election, now the firm favourite.

Dublin TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Dublin Fingal TD Duncan Smith have ruled themselves out of the race, with Mr Smith saying he will back Ms Bacik.

“I won't be putting myself forward. This is my position now. Personally, I think Ivana Bacik is best placed,” Mr Smith said.

“It's not the right time for me personally, but secondly, and more importantly, I don't believe I'm the best candidate for the job out of the current crop of TDs. So for those reasons, and I won't be putting myself forward,” he said.

 Mr Smith, who had nominated Mr Kelly to be the leader in 2020, said the party is in a fight for its survival and needs to make a clear break from its time in Government with Fine Gael between 2011 and 2016.

“We weren't moving, we weren't gaining any momentum. We weren't making any momentum and ultimately the legacy of 2011 and 2016 and the catastrophe of being in that government as it has been for Labour Party was just something we couldn't move on from,” he said.

“And I believe a fresh break, and the PLP believe, a fresh break from that period of being in government is now needed,” he said.

He said Ms Bacik was aware of the move to oust Mr Kelly and that he, Cork East TD Sean Sherlock, and Senator Mark Wall went to the leader to say he had lost the confidence of the parliamentary party.

Mr Wall, speaking on RTÉ's Claire Byrne Show, said that there was "no knifing" of Mr Kelly.

“Politics is not nice at times, this is one of those occasions.”

His colleague, Marie Sherlock said that the party was "fighting for its survival".

"We've known for some time now that the Labour Party is in a fight for its very survival. And while we in the party and our councillors across the country are working extremely hard, the reality is that we're finding it very hard to cut through.

"Our polling numbers have stagnated and Labour's time in government is a legacy that continues to hang over us.

"So the reality now for the party is that we need a generational change, we need a fresh start. And if radical changes are to be made, then that has to start at the top of the party."

Former junior minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has also ruled himself out of a leadership race. He posted on Twitter to say he "will not be a candidate for the leadership of the Labour party at the time", and added that Ivana Bacik has his "full support".

Political adversaries paid tribute to Mr Kelly throughout the day, with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin saying he was surprised to hear the news and had spoken to Mr Kelly, who he said was "an effective parliamentarian". Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said Mr Kelly "is the kind of politician who gets things done" and praised his advocacy for Vicky Phelan and the women and families affected by the Cervicalcheck scandal.