As it stands, there are three candidates in next month’s presidential election.
Fianna Fáil have selected former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin, Fine Gael have the recently-retired Government minister Heather Humphreys from Monaghan and Catherine Connolly is a confirmed Independent candidate having received the required support of more than 20 members of the Dáil and Seanad.
A former Labour party member, she was first elected to Galway city council in 1999 and to the Dáil in 2016.
She was Leas Ceann Comhairle from 2020 to 2024 and is a left-leaning candidate who is part of a technical group in the Dáil alongside Laois Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley, who accompanied her during a visit to Portlaoise this week.
People Before Profit and the Social Democrats are among the smaller left-wing groupings that are backing her campaign, as have Labour, though former leader Alan Kelly has roundly criticised that approach.
Connolly was first elected as Labour councillor but left the party in 2006 when she wasn’t chosen to be Michael D Higgins’s running mate in the following year’s General Election.
“I’m not sure what Catherine Connolly did to deserve our support,” said Kelly. “I respect everybody’s views in the party, but I was against this … I think the party has to have some self-respect. Catherine Connolly has shown disdain for us since 2006.”
“It’s actually almost 20 years since we parted ways on the Labour Party. And I can tell you there isn’t a bitter bone in my body,” said Connolly during her visit to Portlaoise on Tuesday.
“I don’t look on life that way. I come from a family of 14. We’ve had joy and tragedy.
“There’s no bitterness in me. There’s a joy for living and a joy for learning. I leave Alan Kelly to Alan Kelly and the Labour Party.
“I am delighted that Ivana Bacik has rowed in behind me 100%. And this is a presidential campaign. It’s beyond personalities.
“It’s beyond me. We’re now in a stage in our history where we are tolerating genocide. So there are much bigger issues here. The existential threat of climate change … It’s important to repeat. These are the issues.”
With Sinn Féin not having selected a candidate yet, the prospect remains open of them not having a runner in this race and throwing their support behind Connolly also.
“I haven’t spoken to Sinn Féin recently,” added Connolly.
“I spoke to Sinn Féin going way back, Mary Lou, months and months ago, indicated what I was doing.
“And they indicated that they’d be going through their process. All parties did that when I spoke to them. They all gave me the same answer.
“And I understood it would be the end of August, beginning of September. That’s as straight as I can be, that’s what happened.”
Would she like their support?
“I would like the support of every party if I could get it.
“If I go back to when I was Leas Ceann Comhairle. I got support from across the Dáil floor. That’s how I became Leas Ceann Comhairle.
“So I would look on myself, with all my experience and the privilege of being in different roles, the privilege of being elected Leas Ceann Comhairle by the majority of the House in a secret ballot, that I would like to think that I’m a cross-party, that I’m inclusive.
“Now obviously Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are picking their own party, with all the internal problems that Fianna Fáil have. But I look on myself as a candidate that would draw from a broad range of people.”
As an Independent candidate that has her nomination sown up via the nominations of TDs and Senators, what is her view on others seeking to get on the ballot via the county council route where they’d need the support of four local authorities.
Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has instructed the party’s councillors not to facilitate the addition of an independent candidate. Party-affiliated councillors have the option of abstaining, which could allow a candidate get the nomination.
Among the higher-profile candidates seeking the nomination are Gareth Sheridan, Maria Steen, Peter Casey and Conor McGregor.
Gareth Sheridan, the 35-year-old Dublin pharma multi-millionaire, has the support of Laois independent councillor Aisling Moran and is certain of a proposer and seconder at least in Laois.
Laois County Council are meeting next Monday when they will hear from the candidates and then vote. A council can only nominate one candidate.
Would Connolly welcome additional candidates on the ballot?
“I’ll answer the question this way. I won’t comment on their diktat (Fine Gael) because parties do what they do. But I will say we do need as a democracy to look at the nomination process in a way that’s rational and respectful.
“Is it good in a healthy democracy to keep nominations limited to the way they’re limited now?
“Is the democracy able to have discussion as to how we would broaden that out? I don’t know the answer. I’m conservative on that by nature. So what we have I think is good but I’m open to further discussion … I think it’s important that a democracy is able to tolerate debate in a rational and reasonable way.
“Is this nomination process does it serve democracy best? Or should we broaden it out and then see what are the dangers?
“And what are the advantages and disadvantages? It won’t be done before this election. But a healthy democracy should be able to tolerate that.”
SEE ALSO – Martina Mulhall: From AFL star to GPA Leader – Colm Begley’s journey in sport and support
