Tipperary Fine Gael Councillor Mary Hanna Hourigan has criticised party chiefs after backing Independent hopeful Gareth Sheridan for a presidential nomination.
The Cashel-Tipperary councillor ignored orders from the party headquarters not to support Independent candidates, telling RTÉ's Morning Ireland: "I’m not going to be whipped to say or do something I don’t believe in."
She said diktats from party headquarters are "not fair", insisting she was elected by the people of Tipperary and should be free to "vote the way I want".
"We got a directive from Fine Gael HQ that we were not to vote for another candidate … and I don’t think that is fair," she said.
"I am elected locally by the people in the Cashel-Tipperary area to represent them. I should be able to vote the way I want, freely," she added.
"I have no regrets about what I did today. I didn’t do it lightly and I would do the same again tomorrow," Ms Hanna Hourigan said regarding yesterday’s vote.
Cllr Hanna Hourigan’s vote proved decisive in getting Gareth Sheridan a nomination from Tipperary County Council.
"It was only by one vote you know, which was my vote," she said.
Read more: Tipperary County Council gives backing to Gareth Sheridan
Earlier this month, Fine Gael had ordered all 246 of its councillors nationwide to block independent candidates.
Cllr Hanna Hourigan indicated she voted for Gareth Sheridan because it is a function that remains with councillors who, she said, have seen their powers eroded over the years.
She said that over her 16 years as a councillor, their powers have been stripped away.
However, Cllr Hanna Hourigan emphasised one remaining power remaining with local authorities is the freedom to nominate a presidential candidate.
"Our reserve functions, while on paper there may seem there are many – over a hundred in fact - but when it comes down to it we have very little power," she said.
She added one power is that "councils have a say" when presidential hopefuls "go down the council route" to get into the race for Áras an Uachtaráin.
Independent Gareth Sheridan is now halfway to securing a Presidential Election nomination after receiving the support of Tipperary County Council.
His first nomination came from Kerry County Council on Monday.
Mr Sheridan now needs two more council nominations to get on the election ticket for the Áras.
At the Tipperary County Council meeting, a proposal was put to councillors by Fianna Fáil’s Michael Smith not to nominate a candidate.
However, the proposal was defeated by 20 votes to 19.
Following that, Gareth Sheridan and former Cork Lord Mayor Kieran McCarthy were seconded and proposed as nominees.
Mr Sheridan got 17 votes to Mr McCarthy’s three.
Four councillors were absent and 16 abstained from voting.
Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan said Fine Gael has an excellent candidate in Heather Humphreys.
"I have full confidence in Heather and I will be canvassing for her, supporting her, and voting for her, and doing everything I can to see her get elected in this Presidential election," she said.
In relation to supporting Gareth Sheridan she said he would get a second preference vote from her after Heather Humphreys in the election.
She added Mr Sheridan deserved to be on the ballot paper and there needs to be more than three horses in the race.
She added she had no regrets about supporting Mr Sheridan's nomination from Tipperary County Council and would do the same again tomorrow
