Leo told ‘make amends’ with Kate so she can stand as MEP
Party activists call for détente in famously thorny relationship to secure Dublin seat
TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar should make amends with former TD Kate O’Connell if the party wants an MEP in Dublin, party activists have told the Irish Mail on Sunday.
Mr Varadkar has had a famously thorny relationship with Ms O’Connell and was forced to deny in 2021 that he had frozen out the former Dublin Bay South TD after she wasn’t picked to contest the by-election there.
Ms O’Connell had narrowly lost her seat in the constituency the previous year.
Now, however, a senior Fine Gael figure has told the Irish Mail on Sunday that Mr Varadkar needs to forget his differences with her for the sake of the party.
‘If we want to win an MEP seat in Dublin she is the candidate. She has the cross-over appeal between being an independent voice and the party grassroots.’
Another source also told the MoS: ‘Leo should swallow his pride, pick up the phone and ring Kate. We cannot afford to be frittering away TDs on European elections. He may not like it but he needs to bring back Kate.’
The Fine Gael source was referring to growing concern within the party about the Government’s slim majority and whether any sitting TDs would opt to run in the European elections which will take place in June next year.
‘TDs are not our preferred choice; we are looking for celebrities and glamorous outsiders. They unfortunately appear to be less interested in us than we are in them,’ said the source.
‘Kate would fit the bill. She is a sort of celebrity – she has that air about her.’
The call to ‘bring back Kate’ comes against a backdrop of unease in the Coalition over the number of Dáil seats that may be lost should they have a successful European election.
The view is growing that this may significantly narrow the Coalition’s room for manoeuvre when it comes to selecting a date for the next general election.
As they attempt to decide between an early election next spring, an autumn election in 2024 or running for the full term until 1925, the last two options will be far more difficult should any TDs be elected to the European Parliament.
In the wake of the departure of Eoghan Murphy and the removal of the Whip from Joe McHugh, Marc MacSharry and Neasa Hourigan, the Coalition – with 80 seats – has a majority of just one.
That includes 36 Fianna Fáil TDs, 11 Green Party TDs and 33 Fine Gael TDs.
And under the Electoral Amendment Act of 2011, a by-election must be held within six months of the date of any vacancy. This means an unpopular Coalition could face between four and seven December by-elections, depending on how many candidates are elected.
And if just one candidate is elected, the Coalition will be a minority administration in the lead-up to a general election.
The losses could however be even higher given the number of Dáil candidates lining up for the European elections.
Within Fine Gael, current junior minister Josepha Madigan is openly seeking a nomination to replace Frances Fitzgerald as a Dublin MEP.
Dublin South-West TD Colm Brophy, a key media performer for the party, is also believed to be interested in running for Dublin.
Speculation is also growing within the party that Simon Coveney may be considering a return to Europe, running in the Ireland South constituency, with one source noting: ‘Simon has never really recovered from being evicted from Iveagh House. He has seemed strangely disassociated ever since. He’s not happy in Enterprise.’
Speaking about the elections and the consequences for Fine Gael, a party source told the MOS: ‘Leo has really been put on the back foot by this. Whatever about Deirdre Clune, he really wasn’t expecting Frances to go. He’s not happy. He doesn’t mind senators and celebrities running for FG but not TDs.’
It is believed Mr Varadkar favours delaying final candidate choices until February.
One source noted: ‘He is kind of hoping something better might come along but the chances are
‘If we want an MEP seat in Dublin she’s the candidate’
dubious, and the options are short.’
But Fianna Fáil also faces potential losses as the oncoming election fine-tunes political antennae. One party source warned that ‘the move of Laois-Offaly into the Midlands constituency means a Barry Cowen victory is ‘highly likely’. Mr Cowen indicated his intention to run for Europe last week.
‘Barry will finally get his revenge on Micheál: a great escape to the European Parliament,’ he said.
The situation may become even more complex should Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness decide to run for Europe as an Independent.
A source close to Mr McGuinness asked: ‘What has John got to lose? He is isolated and disillusioned. He is still full of energy though. Mick Wallace would definitely be looking over his shoulder.’
Fine Gael TD for Wexford Paul Kehoe also said this week he was ‘actively considering’ the possibility after approaches from several party colleagues.
The former Whip is believed to be facing a fierce struggle for the last seat in the reduced four-seat Wexford constituency.
One local source observed: ‘Paul is looking to broaden his political horizons. He has a vision for Europe.’
The possible losses are generating growing concerns with one senior Coalition source noting: ‘Should McGuinness go, we will be a minority government even before the EU elections. After, well, either the EU elections will be a total disaster, or we will definitely be a minority government.’
‘He may not like it but he needs to bring back Kate’