Gareth Sheridan fails to secure presidential nomination from Carlow County Council

Sarah Slater

Independent candidate Gareth Sheridan has failed to secure a nomination from Carlow County Council to contest the presidential election.

Councillors followed the diktats issued by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that they should back their parties' nominated candidates, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin.

In the end Mr Sheridan received seven votes for and 11 against his nomination.

Leaving the meeting on Friday, Mr Sheridan said: “I’m no worse off than before I went into the council. I have the weekend to gather myself and go again next week. It’s still all to play for.”

In Carlow, the deadline of 5pm on Friday, September 5th, for submissions by potential candidates to the council was adhered to rigidly. Seven candidates followed the criteria with numerous others asking to be allowed to address elected members, but these requests were turned down.

As only one of the candidates, that being Mr Sheridan, had a proposer and seconder he was in the unique position of being the only person allowed to present to the six Fine Gael councillors, five Fianna Fáil, two Independents, and one councillor each from Labour, Independent Ireland and People Before Profit.

Left-wing parties Social Democrats, Labour and People Before Profit are backing the third confirmed independent candidate and Galway West TD Catherine Connolly who has worked as a barrister and clinical psychologist. She served as deputy speaker of the Dáil for four years.

Mr Sheridan thanked councillors for their time as he began his presentation. He explained that he “might just be the youngest ever candidate” hoping to be placed on the ballot paper.

He recounted how he was able to build on a “college idea and which was successfully floated on largest stock exchange in the world.” The father-of-one admitted he “was shocked” to see his age group “still living at home” due to housing problems and in a “way they are a lost generation”.

Mr Sheridan noted that the office of President does not have a vast array of power but it does provide a mechanism as being “a guardian of legislation”. He appealed for the politics of the left and right to hold less important. Mr Sheridan noted that he did not have any business interests in Ireland.

People Before Profit councillor Adrienne Wallace said she believed Mr Sheridan explaining that he rang the bell in the New York stock exchange “did not hold any sway nor did his business” for her.

Sinn Féin councillor Jim Deane asked Mr Sheridan what were his views on the politics of the US and would he retain his shares in his business.

Fianna Fáil councillor Andrea Dalton wished Mr Sheridan well and appealed to him to stay in politics.

As he was the only candidate seeking to have his name on the ballot paper nearly all of the councillors wanted to lay out their volley of questions primarily centred around his business interests, links to Russia and his age.

Cathaoirleach and Fianna Fáil councillor Ken Murnane commiserated with Mr Sheridan and wished him well for the future.

Michael D Higgins' time as president of Ireland will come to an end in November.