Cork MEP Kelleher believes he would have won presidential election

Cork MEP Billy Kelleher said he believes he would have won the election if given the chance to run for the Irish presidency ahead of Jim Gavin.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Kelleher said he is confident that he would have been a polling favourite over winning candidate Catherine Connolly, and Fianna Fáil’s nominated candidate, Mr Gavin.

Mr Gavin’s campaign for presidency was heavily backed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and party deputy leader Jack Chambers, but after it emerged he owed €3,300 to a former tenant, he withdrew from the race.

“I believe that I would be reflective of a modern Ireland, and I think that a lot of people would have engaged with me and supported me in that,” 

said Mr Kelleher.

“Unfortunately, let’s be honest, we ended up in a situation where, towards the end, it was basically a one-horse race. The public, because of what happened, didn’t have enough choice.”