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File photo of Labhrás Ó Murchú from 2010. Photocall Ireland
Race for the Áras
No decision on Ó Murchú candidacy at FF meeting
Four-term senator Labhrás Ó Murchú will have to wait until Tuesday to see if Fianna Fáil will support his late presidential bid.
NO DECISION WAS made at Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary meeting today in regard to backing Labhrás Ó Murchú’s late presidential bid.
The four-term senator told TheJournal.ie that his position was debated at length during a six-hour meeting but no decision was arrived at.
“We will reconvene on Tuesday after a period of reflection,” he said. “The break will also give us a chance to get soundings from the ground.”
The 72-year-old said he was still “quite hopeful” and was glad that the debate happened.
“We looked at the office of the presidency and the radical approach of putting someone forward as an Independent because that has never been done by the party before,” he said.
He also confirmed that letters had come in from other presidential hopefuls seeking the party’s support but they were not debated at today’s meeting.
“The debate was open and amicable and it was good for Fianna Fáil,” added Ó Murchú. “The party needs to focus on being a smaller party that is not in Government anymore.”
Meanwhile, RTÉ is reporting that Sinn Féin sources have hinted that the party will announce its nominee for the Presidential election tomorrow.
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