Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald rules out running in presidential election
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said her name “will not go forward” as the party’s nominee for President.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland ahead of her party’s annual think-in, Ms McDonald said she had to “lead from the front” in holding the current Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition to account.
She said the party had tested “every proposition” in relation to a candidate.
Asked if Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill would be the candidate, Ms McDonald said the party’s process was still under way.
“My preference is that we call this right and, at the risk of sounding repetitive, we have options.”
I’m mindful also that there is a real need to get Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael out of office
Outlining her reasons for not running for president, Ms McDonald said her efforts had to remain on holding the Government to account as the leader of the opposition in the Dáil.
“I have a real sense of the importance of this time in Irish political and indeed in Irish historical life,” she told RTÉ.
“I believe that whoever is the Uachtarán following the election will likely be the Uachtarán in office as we move into referendums and Irish reunification and all of the politics and the interaction that needs to happen around that, and I think the Uachtarán will play a very, very important role at a time of huge opportunity and transition in Irish life and for that reason I’ve considered very carefully what we as a party do, but also what I do myself personally.
“I’m mindful also that there is a real need to get Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael out of office, out of government, and also to keep them out of the Áras.
“But, for me, at this point in time, my effort has to be in respect of holding this government to account day and daily, building with my Sinn Féin colleagues, and with colleagues beyond Sinn Féin, a real alternative as to when the next general election occurs.
“So for those reasons, I’ve informed some of my colleagues over the weekend, and I’ll be talking to others obviously here in Dun Laoghaire today (at a party think-in event), and my name will not go forward for that reason.
“I’ve been greatly encouraged by the number of people who have spoken to me and encouraged some to go forward for this office. Others are very clearly saying ‘stay the course, stay the course’. But my strong instinct is that obviously the office of Uachtarán na hÉireann is an incredibly important one.
“It’s important that we get the right person into that office, but it is so important that we have a government that can really respond to the day-to-day needs of our people.”
In an interview published on Monday morning, Michelle O'Neill said the next President should use the office to advocate for Irish reunification.
The Sinn Féin vice president said the winner of October’s election must use their role as head of state to represent the interests of all Irish citizens, including those living north of the Border.
She said that should extend to playing a “role” in planning for Irish unity.
The North's First Minister insisted such advocacy would not undermine what is supposed to be, by convention, a non-political role.
The Presidential race is expected to gather pace this week as local authorities hear pitches from candidate hopefuls and big parties set out their election stalls.
Around a dozen candidates are to address Kerry County Council at lunchtime today to pitch why they should be nominated as a presidential candidate.
Polling day has been confirmed as Friday, October 24th, and nominations for candidates will close a month before that.
With seven weeks to go before votes are cast, there are just two confirmed candidates in the race.
Fianna Fáil is expected to confirm the third on Tuesday when it hosts a head-to-head between its candidates.
Former Dublin football manager and retired army officer Jim Gavin has the public backing of senior party figures, while MEP and former junior minister Billy Kelleher appears to have more of a battle ahead of him.
