Catherine Connolly may be safely elected as Ireland’s 10th president but the whole nomination process raised its head once again in Laois County Council this week.
Needless to say there was a row and a roaring-and-shouting match between councillors on opposite sides of the argument.
Incidentally, the latest war of words flared up just as the council chamber was filling up with family members, friends and supporters of long-serving Fianna Fail councillor Seamus McDonald from Rosenallis who was about to be honoured for his 40 years of service as an elected representative.
Eight councillors had a joint motion submitted proposing that “Laois County Council call on the Government to establish a Referendum Commission to implement the recommendations of the Constitutional Convention concerning the nomination process for Presidential elections as the current provisions contained in the 1937 Act are no longer fit for purpose”.
Independent councillors Aisling Moran, Ben Brennan, Tommy Mulligan, Caroline Dwane-Stanley, Aidan Mullins, Ollie Clooney and Tommy Mulligan as well as Labour councillor Marie Tuohy were all supporting the motion.
This came on the back of the aggro that flared up at a recent council meeting where Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors voted against Gareth Sheridan’s nomination.
Sheridan needed the support of four councils to get on the ballot and while he did get the backing of Kerry and Tipperary, Laois was one of the councils that voted against him.
Fine Gael leader Simon Harris had instructed the party’s councillors across the country not to facilitate Independent candidates seeking council support while Fianna Fáil also voted against his nomination across the country.
Supporters of Sheridan had asked that councillors abstain, instead of voting against. That would have opened a path up for Sheridan to receive the required support.
In a lengthy address, Cllr Aisling Moran – who had been Gareth Sheridan’s proposer in Laois – hit out at Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and their councillors for their “interference” in what she described as “a shambles of a nomination process”.
She said Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s approach “denied the electorate the option” and “should never have been allowed to happen”.
She said the Constitution in relation to the presidential election nomination process is “no longer fit for purpose” and that it was used for “councillors to be manipulated”.
Among Cllr Moran’s suggestions for change is that instead of the majority support of four councils, a candidate should be able to get on the ballot paper if they can the support of 80 councillors across the country from a minimum of four councils.
She arrived at that figure by taking the Oireachtas numbers required – 20 members which is about 8.5%. With almost 950 councillors, that would equate to the support of 80 members.
She also suggested that the presidential term be reduced to four years and a maximum of two terms be served. Additionally, she questioned the current policy of a sitting president being allowed to nominate themselves for a second term.
Citing Catherine Connolly’s record-breaking election of highest number of votes, highest percentage of votes and biggest winning margin, she said “the electorate has spoken – they don’t trust this Government and want free and fair elections”.
Cllr Marie Tuohy, whose Labour party were among Catherine Connolly’s supporters, was the first to support the motion, saying “the anger was palpable long before polling day”.
“People saying ‘this is how it works’ are wrong. This is a manipulation of democracy.”
Cllr Tommy Mulligan said it “was such a disappointing campaign” and said he was “disgusted by the conduct of councillors in this chamber”. “It was a complete abuse … and disgraceful how undemocratic the whole thing was … no two parties should be able to dictate who gets on the ballot”.
“The hypocrisy turned by stomach,” he added.
Cllr Caroline Dwane-Stanley, Cllr Ben Brennan and Cllr James Kelly also spoke in support of their fellow Independent councillors on the topic also, before Cllr Paddy Bracken and Cllr Paschal McEvoy, both Fianna Fáil, hit back angrily.
Joining the other councillors in congratulating Catherine Connolly, Cllr McEvoy said it was a “splendid victory”.
But he said “it doesn’t sit right with me listening to this criticism”. “Sinn Féin had 60 votes in the Oireachtas and could have supported three candidates if you wanted more in the race.
“There was five other candidates, other than Gareth Sheridan, came in here to the chamber and nobody cared or was worried that we didn’t support them.
“What about Labour or the Social Democrats? There was plenty of Oireachtas numbers there. Catherine Connolly only needed 20. There could have been five more candidates put forward if that’s what you wanted.
“I stood by my party and I make no apologies for it. Why are you crying because of Fianna Fáil – the others can take as much of the blame.”
When it was put to Cllr McEvoy that he had facilitated the nomination of a candidate in 2018 (Gemma O’Doherty), he said “there was no Fianna Fáil candidate at that time”. “I am a party man.”
It was then up to Cllr Paddy Bracken to take up the argument, much to the amusement of the now-packed chamber.
“I get it hard to sit here and listen to this lecture from Cllr Moran,” thundered Cllr Bracken, who again reminded her she was once a long-time active member of Fine Gael.
“Sinn Féin had enough Parliamentary members to nominate someone, Labour weren’t far behind if you were so anxious … show a bit of respect and don’t be coming in here to lecture us”.
Cllr Moran then hit back with an accusation that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors were “all sheep … following where you were told”.
After a brief appeal by Fine Gael’s Paddy Buggy – the only interjection from that side of the chamber – it was then the turn of another of the Fianna Fáil stalwarts, Cllr John Joe Fennelly.
“We all knew seven years ago the election was taking place,” he said. “Not once did I get a phone call from Gareth Sheridan.” At this point Aisling Moran told him he did. “Are you calling me a liar,” retorted Cllr Fennelly.
Cllr McEvoy then came in again, speaking for himself. “I spoke to him and I told him if Fianna Fáil didn’t have a candidate, I’d support him.”
He then told Cllr Moran she was “in cloud cuckoo land”.
Eventually they calmed down a bit and there was no opposition to the original motion. Laois County Council are to contact other local authorities seeking widespread support to get the issue on the national agenda.
“That was great craic,” said one observer in for the Seamus McDonald gathering.
“Is it always like this?”
Well, would you believe …
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