Fine Gael Leadership Election 2017- Formal Declaration of Fine Gael Leadership Candidates

In accordance with Rule 49 of the Fine Gael Constitution and Rules, nominations are now closed for the Fine Gael Leadership Election 2017.

The candidates for Party Leader are Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Cork South Central TD, Simon Coveney; and Minister for Social Protection, Dublin West TD, Leo Varadkar.

Each of the candidates has been nominated by at least 10% of the Parliamentary Party (PP), comprised of TDs, Senators and MEPs.

The process for electing the next Leader of Fine Gael is defined in Rule 49 of the Fine Gael Constitution and Rules.

The entire election process will be overseen by Fine Gael’s Executive Council.

Gerry O’Connell, Chairman of the Executive Council, has been appointed National Returning Officer for the Leadership Election.

Mr O’Connell said: “Nominations have now closed for the Fine Gael Leadership Election 2017.
“Next week, both leadership candidates will take part in four regional hustings, ensuring all members of the wider Fine Gael membership have an opportunity to engage in the process of electing the Party’s new leader.

“This is the first time since the foundation of the State where a party has engaged on this scale and in such a transparent way in selecting its leader, giving all members a choice in who their next party leader will be.

“Since this process began earlier this week, it has engaged the public and energised the party, and will continue to do so over the coming days, weeks and months ahead,” Mr O’Connell said.

Candidates have signed a ‘Code of Conduct’ as agreed by Executive Council.
This code will be binding on both leadership election candidates and governs their behaviour for the duration of the leadership election. An Ethics and Election Committee has been established to ensure compliance with this code of conduct.

The dates and locations of the regional hustings are as follows:
· Thursday, May 25: Red Cow Hotel, Dublin, 8pm
· Friday, May 26: Barrow Centre, IT Carlow, 8pm
· Saturday, May 27: Shearwater Hotel, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, 8pm
· Sunday, May 28: Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cork, 8pm

People can watch the debates live on the Fine Gael Facebook page facebook.com/FineGael.

Voting for almost 21,000 eligible party members will take place nationwide at 26 polling stations on Monday 29th May, Tuesday 30th May, Wednesday 31st May and Thursday 1st June.

Party members must be affiliated for at least two years to be eligible to vote.
The Parliamentary Party will meet and vote in Dublin on Friday, 2nd June.

All votes will be brought to a National Count Centre in Dublin on Friday, 2nd June, where they will be will be verified and counted under the supervision of the National Returning Officer.

Votes will be weighted in accordance with the Fine Gael electoral college rules, with the 73 members of the Parliamentary Party (PP) accounting for 65% of the total vote, almost 21,000 party members accounting for 25% and 235 local representatives (232 councillors and 3 Údarás na Gaeltachta members) accounting for the remaining 10% of the vote.