Leadership Vote Looms As Finance Bill Teeters

The new leader of the Irish Republic's Fianna Fail party is to be selected today, with former Foreign Minister Michael Martin still the strong favourite.

At the same time as the crucial Finance Bill was today in the hands of three Independent TDs, Mr Martin - along with the other three candidates in the race - Brian Lenihan, Mary Hanafin and Éamon Ó Cuív, each addressed a meeting of the parliamentary party last night on how they will take the party forward.

So far some 26 TDs have declared their backing of Mr Martin, while 33 have yet to declare.

Today's meeting of the parliamentary party will see the candidates proposed and seconded, before the vote is taken in a secret ballot.

According to betting company Paddy Power on Monday, Mr Martin was a huge 1/7 favourite in the race, with Brian Lenihan a distant second and Mary Hanafin the long odds shot at 20/1.

Today, Mr Martin's odds have soared to 1/16, with Eamon O'Cuiv now in second at 8/1 and Ms Hanafin still languishing last at 28/1.

Among the Fianna Fail members who have publicly back Mr Martin are Cork TDs Billy Kelleher, Ned O'Keeffe, Noel O'Flynn, Michael McGrath and Michael Ahern.

Kerry TD John O'Donoghue, Clare TD Timmy Dooley, Limerick TDs Peter Power and Willie O’Dea and Dublin TDs Sean Haughey, Chris Andrews and Michael Mulcahy also declared for the former foreign affairs minister. They were joined by Kildare TDs Sean Power and Michael Fitzpatrick.

On the equally important Finance Bill, Michael Lowry, Jackie Healy-Rae and Mattie McGrath said yesterday their support for it was provisional, depending on the inclusion of a number of amendments.

Mr Lowry is today meeting Taoiseach Brian Cowen to discuss the inclusion of changes to the self-employed tax return date, tax relief on third level fees and the Universal Social Charge.

The office of Government Chief Whip John Curran said the Government remains hopeful that the second stage of the Finance Bill can be passed in a vote.

Currently, the Labour Party, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein are all opposed to the Bill, leaving the Government's slim majority dependant on the votes from the Independents in the house.

If all three vote against the Bill in the Dáil today it will be an embarrassing defeat for the Government who is sure to be dissolved sooner than the current February 25 deadline date.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr McGrath said he was concerned about measures in the proposed legislation dealing with Section 23 property relief, the bankers' bonus and self-employed having to pay more tax.

Deputy McGrath said he had spoken to Finance Minister Brian Lenihan last night, and he expected further discussion with him today.

(DW)