LIMERICK TD Jan O’Sullivan has said that the discussions over the leadership of the Labour party “are still ongoing” amid claims she is under pressure to support Alan Kelly’s bid for the leadership.
“The four names remain on the table”, Deputy O’Sullivan said after prolonged discussions on Wednesday.
Last week Jan O’Sullivan said that she would consider entering the race with Alan Kelly, Brendan Howlin and Sean Sherlock, but remained tight-lipped on a full declaration.
Pressure is now said to be mounting for a seconder to emerge for Alan Kelly’s nomination which would allow him run against Brendan Howlin for the party leadership.
However the former Education Minister said that “discussions are still ongoing, that’s where we are at and there are still four of us considering it and we wont have an outcome for a while yet.”
The seven Labour Party TDs met privately on Tuesday to discuss who will succeed former Tánaiste Joan Burton.
It is understood that Brendan Howlin was the most popular choice but a contest for the leadership is still being sought, and in particular by Tipperary’s Alan Kelly.
Nominees for the role need a proposer and a seconder.
TDs can propose themselves, but another TD is required as a seconder. Pressure has been mounting on the sitting Labour TDs to second Alan Kelly’s proposal, but Ms O’Sullivan said “my name remains in there”.
It is understood that Labour councillors and party members have called on party chairman Willie Penrose to allow a contest take place.
Nominations for the election of leader and deputy leader opened last Saturday and will close this Friday at noon.
If a contest for the leadership is required, ballots will be issued to the Labour Party’s 4,000 members next Monday and will have to be returned by June 17.
