BY HARRYWALSH AND C.J. MCGINLEY
MOVES including a strategic vote management pact and the offer of a Senate nomination were made in the past few days in a last ditch effort to woo Independent candidate Councillor Jimmy Harte back into the Fine Gael party ranks.
The former Fine Gael Councillor confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that he had been approached by a front bench Fine Gael spokesman on Monday just hours before Deputy Dinny McGinley reversed his decision to retire from politics.
Deputy McGinley is now the party's sole candidate in Donegal South West after Ardara based Councillor Terence Slowey, who had been selected at a convention last June, stepped aside in what he described as as a "strategic decision taken in the best interests of the party".
In a interview with the Donegal News this week Councillor Slowey denied that he was "pushed or shoved" into the decision by the party hirearachy after internal polls showed him having only seven per cent of the vote in the constituency (see page 13).
Deputy McGinley has hinted that he expects a cabinet positon to come to Donegal if there is a change of government.
Similarly, Senator Joe McHugh is the party's sole candidate in Donegal North East after County Councillor Jimmy Harte failed to show at the Fine Gael selection convention back in March. The Letterkenny based businessman decided not to attend the convention on learning the party's decision to run just one candidate in Donegal North East for the next general election. However, recent internal polls show the party faces a battle to win any seat in Donegal.
"I was approached on Monday by a front bench spokesman and asked to broker a deal which would help secure the party vote in the Lifford/Raphoe areas. There were also offers of a Seanad seat while the possibility of adding me to the Fine Gael ticket in Donegal North East was also mentioned.
"However, I've since been told that certain members of the party in Donegal North East are totally opposed to adding my name to the ticket," Cllr Harte said.
"It was always my intention to allow my name to go forward on the party ticket alongside that of
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Senator McHugh and I felt that one of us could win back a Fine Gael seat in Donegal North East. If I lost out and Senator McHugh won the seat I'd be the first to congratulate him but it was never reciprocated," he added.
"Fine Gael headquarters through its messing has opened the door for Sinn Fein to elect one deputy in each constituency and they have no one else to blame. I'm only interested in getting elected to serve the people of Donegal North East. I'm always open to talks and I will talk to anyone but I'm not holding my breath.
"It is interesting to note that Cllr Slowey said he had 17 branches behind him at convention, the same number Senator McHugh said were behind him. It didn't do much good for Cllr Slowey. So much for democracy in Donegal," Cllr Harte said.
