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.
Ms Hanna Hourigan’s vote proved decisive in getting Mr 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.
Ms Hanna Hourigan indicated she voted for Mr 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, Ms 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.
Sheridan halfway to securing nomination
Mr 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, Mr 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.
Ms 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 Mr Sheridan she said he would get a second preference vote from her after Heather Humphreys in the election.
She said 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.
FG executive council to decide on potential sanctions - Heydon
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said that the party executive council will decide if there will be any sanctions on Ms Hanna Hourigan as a result of her going against the party directive.
"Matters like that are a matter for the Executive Council of the party and it's not something for me but we are fully focused on supporting Heather in her campaign," he said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
"We're completely focused on getting as many number ones for Heather and she's fairly focused on that herself.
"She would make a brilliant tenth Uachtarán na hÉireann and we're going to do everything in our power to help her in that endeavour," he added.
A Fine Gael source said the party's councillors were consulted during the summer about presidential election strategy.
They described it as very extensive, and the party's Local Authority members voted overwhelmingly to be whipped on the issue.
That decision was backed by Fine Gael's executive council - an entity where councillors are also represented.
