A group of eleven Independent TDs and Senators are set to hold a “caucus” tomorrow in Dublin during which they will interview four Independent Presidential candidates.
The group, organised by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, has informally agreed to take a vote after hearing from candidates including Maria Steen and Nick Delehanty, and to abide by the results of that ballot. The objective is that the winning candidate should emerge with the support of 11 parliamentarians – nine short of the necessary 20.
However, Independent Ireland, which has declined to take part in the caucus, has also pledged its four votes to any independent candidate who can get close to the magic number. That would leave the winning candidate in the caucus on an effective fifteen votes, and attention would then turn to figures such as Michael McDowell, Gerard Craughwell, and a number of Government-aligned independent TDs.
Sources close to the process say that they expect, in a situation where one credible candidate had the effective backing of 15 Oireachtas members, that several other TDs and Senators might feel moved to enable that person to access the ballot.
It is also considered likely that the backing of a significant chunk of TDs and Senators might bring councils around the country to offer a candidate backing, as a result of their clear demonstration of political support.
At tomorrow’s event, candidates are being asked to speak for 15 minutes, after which time they will be questioned by the politicians present.
One candidate who will not take part in today’s event is businessman Gareth Sheridan, who appears to have staked his nomination chances entirely on the four county council route. Others like Steen and Delehanty appear to be seeking both routes to the ballot paper, as both appeared at a meeting of Kerry County Council on Monday and are scheduled to appear at other councils in the coming days.
A result of the caucus is expected tomorrow evening. However, sources close to the process say that there is some concern that the process is not binding, and TDs and Senators unsatisfied by the majority view may yet walk away and decline to endorse the winning candidate.
The outcome should be known by 7pm tomorrow.