This article is from page 10 of the 2008-04-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
SENATOR Ciaran Cannon from south Galway yesterday began his first official day as leader of the Pro- eressive Democrats by pledging to rebuild the party and by leaving the door open to defeated presidential candidate, Fiona O’ Malley.
Mr Cannon, who narrowly lost out on a seat in the Galway East constitu- ency in last year’s general election, joined the PDs in 2003 and was one of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s appoint- ments to the Seanad last year.
The 42-year-old former county councillor narrowly beat Fiona O’Malley in a leadership contest in which just over a third of the eligible membership of the party voted.
In his first official statement since becoming leader, Cannon indicated that he would consider appointing his leadership rival, Fiona O’Malley, as deputy leader for the party. He has also indicated that he plans to scrap the position of party president, for- mally held by Tom Parlon.
“In a parliamentary party of four people, I don’t know whether this position is needed — my gut feeling is that I will be working very closely with members of the parliamentary party,’ said Senator Cannon.
‘*T want to see a strong role for Fio- na and if that title of deputy leader strengthens her hand, I would be willing to give it to her. We’ll have to see how the next few days of discus- sions pan out.”
Fellow Galway politician, Progres- sive Democrat TD Noel Grealish, said that he would be willing to do the new leader’s bidding if any senior posts were in the offing.
“It’s all at the discretion of the new leader to appoint a deputy. If he ap- proached me, I’d certainly consider it but it’s Ciaran’s prerogative,’ he SHKOe
Canon’s political career began in
2004 when he was first elected as a county councillor in Galway.
He was widely tipped to gain the fourth seat in the Galway East Con- stituency but fell well short, gaining
just 3,321 first preference votes.