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Getting a head start. Phil Hogan is first to declare in the Fine Gael leadership race
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The first runner in the race for the leadership of Fine Gael became known today when Carlow/Kilkenny TD, Mr Phil Hogan, announced his candidature.
Speaking on RTE Radio's This Weekprogramme, Mr Hogan played the youth card by referring to his age - 41 - while pointing out that as a former director of the organisation he had the experience to take on the task of reorganising the party.
He refused to drawn on whether the party should be repositioning itself saying he did not believe in distinctions between right
and left, saying the party should return to its core beliefs.
He said: "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 also said Fine Gael had learned not to take Labour for granted but said the General Election outcome showed Labour should not take his party for granted.
Mr Hogan said his relatively low public profile and limited ministerial experience would not hinder his ability to lead the party. Outside Fine Gael, he is probably best known for his resignation as Minster of State for Finance in 1995, when he accidentally authorised the release of Budget provisions to the media before its publication.
Mr Hogan surprised the Dail when he took full responsibility. It is regarded among political commentators as a rare example of a politician owning up to his mistakes and resigning with honour.
On Friday, the Fine Gael parliamentary party met and it emerged that a leader may be agreed without a formal election next week - if consensus can be established. No-one had declared their candidature at the time.
Mr Hogan said he was keen to see a leader elected before the Dail resumes: "I’m strongly committed to the fact that we need to have certainty in the parliamentary sense before the 6th of June." He said a special Ardfhies should be convened and a revamped party constitution should be agreed which changed the rule requiring Fine Gael’s leader to stand for re-election every two years.
Mr Enda Kenny, Mr Richard Bruton and Mr Gay Mitchell are also thought to be likely leadership candidates, while there is said to be a mood in the party for a young, radical appointment which has put Mr Simon Coveney and Ms Olwyn Enright in the frame.