FG leadership race begins as one-horse affair

Mr Phil Hogan: the only official candidate in the Fine Geal leadership contest to date.

Only one candidate has been nominated so far to take over leadership of the Fine Gael party following Mr Michael Noonan’s recent resignation.

Mr Phil Hogan, Carlow-Kilkenny TD, is the only official nominee to date, but a party spokeswoman said other names are being "bandied around".

Fine Gael’s parliamentary party is due to meet all day tomorrow and Wednesday to vote in a new leader.

The party is also expected to discuss how to proceed after its disastrous performance in the election, in which Fine Gael came away with just 31 of its 66 Dail seats.

The Fine Gael spokeswoman told ireland.comit was "not clear" whether the party would announce a new leader at the end of the two-day meeting, but said all the issues would be discussed.

I want the job because I feel the party has to get back to core principles. I believe very strongly that traditional principles of law and order and free enterprise are core beliefs Mr Phil Hogan

Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday, Mr Hogan claimed he had the experience, as former director of the party, to take on the task of reorganisation and said he believed Fine Gael should return to its core values.

"I want the job because I feel the party has to get back to core principles. I believe very strongly that traditional principles of law and order and free enterprise are core beliefs in the party that I would like to espouse and develop," he said.