SF's McGuinness Wants To Be The Republic's President

The race to be the next Irish president has taken a dramatic twist, with the entry of Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as Sinn Fein's candidate in the race.

The 61-year-old former IRA commander said he would be a "people's president" if elected on October 27th.

But his nomination looks set to spark a major debate in Ireland, about the country's attitude to the Troubles and Northern Ireland, and prompt an intense scrutiny of the republican movement and its commitment to peace.

Sinn Fein has been making significant electoral grounds in the Republic of Ireland, but the party's links to the Provisional IRA have never been examined as closely there as they are likely to be over the next month.

Mr McGuinness is a candidate of significant substance, but also one of controversy.

He's been a key figure in the peace process which has transformed Northern Ireland, but his history within the paramilitary movement, where he is widely believed to have ordered hundreds of shootings and bombings, will isolate many voters.

His entry to the presidential contest was just one of a series of twists in the past week which has turned the race one of the most exciting ever.

Independent Senator David Norris has declared he wants back in the contest, after withdrawing in controversy earlier this summer.

However, he needs a miracle to secure enough support to get on the ballot.

Meanwhile, sharp divisions have emerged in Fianna Fail over the party's decision not to contest the election, with a little-known Senator, Labhras O'Murchu, declaring he wants to run, forcing a showdown with party leader Micheal Martin.

The latest opinion poll published on Sunday shows Michael D Higgins of Labour with a comfortable lead ahead of his rivals, with 32% of the first preference vote.

David Norris, who was included despite not having publicly declared his return to the race at the time the poll was taken, is second on 19%.

Independent candidate Mary Davis, who will definitely contest the election after winning the support of four county councils, has made impressive gains to stand at 18%.

Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell is at 17%, and Independent Sean Gallagher, who has also won enough council support to get on the ticket, is at 14%.

The poll was taken before Martin McGuinness declared his entry on Friday last.

After his nomination was officially ratified by his party on Sunday, Mr McGuinness immediately faced questions about his republican past.

"People of course know of my past and they also know of my deep commitment to peace and peace building, and I want to continue to reach out to those directly affected by republicans in the course of the conflict," he said.

"Republicans including myself have an obligation to help heal the wounds inflicted by our action."

Mr McGuinnes indicated that he would be prepared to welcome the Queen of England to Ireland if he was elected head of State by the people.

Sinn Fein boycotted the Queen's historic visit earlier this year.

He also said the Gardai and Irish Defence Forces would have his "100%" support.

Sinn Fein have been criticized in the past over its failure to condemn the murder of Garda Gerry McCabe.

In a popular move, Mr McGuinness has declared that if elected he would only draw the average industrial wage as a salary and donate the bulk of his salary to the Irish people.

He said the election "needs to be about new beginnings - I do new beginnings".

However, while he can be expected achieve strong poll numbers initially, it would be a sensational development if he were elected president.

Given that David Norris was forced out of the contest in August due to a firestorm over a letter he wrote seeking clemency for his former partner who was convicted of statutory rape, it's fair to expect an even bigger furor over McGuinness's involvement in killings and bombings.

Mr Norris, who is aiming to become Ireland's first gay president, announced his re-entry to the race during an appearance on the Late Late Show on RTE on Friday night.

"I think people love a comeback," said Norris, "This would be the biggest comeback in Irish political history."

But Norris is facing an uphill task if he's to get on the ballot paper.

At least four Independent TDs who previously supported his bid - Finian McGrath, Catherine Murphy, Thomas Pringle and John Halligan - no longer do.

Six TDs who previously backed him are thought to still support him.

And in a boost, a group of four left-wing TDs indicated at the weekend that they would help his nomination.

But Norris remains up to ten votes short of a place on the ballot paper, meaning he needs some members of Fianna Fail, or other Independent Senators to facilitate his nomination.

Fianna Fail has its own presidency-related troubles.

After failing to convince broadcasters Gay Byrne or Michael O'Muircheartaigh to run, and rejecting its own internal candidate Brian Crowley, party leader appeared to have ruled out supporting any nominee.

However, Fianna Fail senator Labhras O'Mhurchu rocked the party last week by announcing he wanted members' support to stand as an Independent candidate in the election.

O'Mhurchu is virtually unknown to most of the Irish public.

His career is defined by two things - his role as chief of the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann traditional music organization, and for being one of only a handful politicians who opposed the Civil Partnership Bill last year.

His objection to that Bill saw him ejected from Fianna Fail for a number of weeks.

The row over whether or not individual members of Fianna Fail can facilitate the nomination of either Norris or O'Mhurchu led to a threat from Eamon O'Cuiv to resign as deputy leader of the party.

The final field of candidates will be known by September 28th.

An intriguing campaign will follow.