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PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL KEVIN Sharkey has said that he is seeking clarification on why he wasn’t invited to Waterford yesterday to pitch for a nomination alongside other potential candidates.
Senator Joan Freeman, Gavin Duffy and Patrick Feeney all addressed Waterford City and County Council yesterday asking councillors to nominate them to run for president.
To get on the ballot, a person must have the support of four local authorities or 20 members of the Oireachtas.
Donegal artist Sharkey has made no secret of his interest in running for the Áras and told Ocean FM this afternoon that he had written to Waterford councillors seeking to address them.
Despite this, Sharkey said he received no reply and does not know why he was excluded, adding that he almost went along anyway.
“I’d written on two occasions to Waterford to ask them to invite me along when the day came. And I was very surprised yesterday morning to find out that it was all going ahead and I hadn’t received any email or confirmation that my emails and messages had been received.”
So I’ve been on the phone all day and I’m trying to get to the bottom of it and I’m hoping that it’s an administrative error, which is possible. However, I’m very keen to get an actual explanation as to why I was excluded.
“I was almost going to go all the way to Waterford, but then nobody wants to go to a party they weren’t invited to and it’s long way to go if I haven’t been listed.”
Sharkey went on to claim that some people within the media will not take his candidacy seriously, something he said he finds “sinister and disappointing”.
“Looking across the media spectrum, I’m finding that there are certain newspaper outlets who refuse point-blank to ‘A’ mention my name and ‘B’ to take me as a serious contender.”
“That’s very unfortunate because in the democracy we live in I qualify in exactly the same way as the other candidates do to be considered for nomination.”
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Just the mention of a debate gives poor Enda nightmares. Go for it.
‘Reform Alliance’ Ironic in that they are the most conservative ‘party’ in the Dail.
Is this the start of a New Political Party…I think we will have to watch this space…the time maybe right.
Mmm, yes. The time for a right wing, reactionary, religious fundamentalist party. Just what Ireland needs at the moment.
Fiona, in any political party you have various different views but they are all whipped together for party reasons,,imagine if we had a political party that was open and honest and let each member express their own views while still representing the general will of the people…..open and transparent with no hidden agendas or Spin . No FG, no FF just people representing people.
What you describe there are called independents Shane. We already have quite a few.
Why join a political party in the first place if you refuse to follow their policies? The whip system ensures that business is actually attended to, don’t like it then leave and run as an independent. These people want to have their cake and eat it too.
You want rampant gombeen politics, populism and nothing ever getting done and decided on because the individuals TDs are too terrified to defy their voter base? Than yeah, no whip system is good.
Could you imagine a government of independents? On second thoughs I’d rather not.
Our choices..FG they have done the nation proud so far…FF they did the nation proud in the past…SF I won’t even comment.We need to move away from the gombeen civil war politics that we have ,move people away from voting for political parties because their father and grandfather voted for. Ppl like Shane Ross and Stephen Donnelly are lost in a Dail the works the way it is…because they have no say even if they had the most wonderful idea in the world it’s just not going to happen!
Fianna Fail did the nation proud Shane? Well not in my lifetime. They’ve bankrupted the country three times since I was born and I’m not even fifty yet. I will never vote for Fianna Fail. Populist morons.
Reg…I think you missed the sarcasm in that …I wouldn’t quench one of them if they were on fire…and that’s being polite..
Good to hear Shane!
Economically for a free market but with a strong social conscious.
Not Creighton,any one but Creighton
The national doctors strike not that important to the Reform group so!!!…..
Lucinda must be delighted that her husband has a good chance of keeping his job after the next election. Not sure about her chances though!
The wicked witch isn’t gone
U better find your ruby slippers Kenny
PDs 2, no thanks
Can we have a Debate about Abortion while were at it ?
That and the gay rights! It’s amazing how they keep ignoring the questions we’ve been asking for decades!
Won’t be long before they REFORM back into FG
New political grouping, Shiite, anything to protect the Blueshirts.
Reform alliance , how about reject alliance . Nobody cares what ye want or say.
Ffs… Didn’t we just spend enough time on this with a referendum. Move on people. There’s plenty of other crap in this country that needs attention….
Politicians really get my goat!
No to an entirely directly elected Seanád. If you do the same former GAA stars, FF rejects and the ilk will be put in. It should be a series of panels such as education, nominated and elected by Teaching Council, NCCA etc… Business Leaders voted in by IBEC, that small businesses thing, Arts and culture panel etc… this would take time to tease out, but would better lend it self to our upper house.
No to any more representation of the teaching profession. It’s enough our mini-cabinet is 75% defunct teacher.
I’d disagree with the idea of giving anyone a vote on the basis of their associations or what they work as. I also think it’s a cryin’ shame that in this day and age we still have to debate whether or not one man – one vote is the right system.
I would say a directly elected house, with longer terms, but smaller overall size. The yanks do this with their senate on the basis that it lends itself to less of a partisan fight and a more of a thoughtful debate. That’s the way a second house should be.
(Or maybe even make it a house composed solely of independents? They are pretty much useless in the dáil as it stands, and it’d be a good balance to party politics, unless I’m missing the stupid part of the idea!)
Reform ? Membership of a political party should exempt Seanad membership. That’s a good start. If that’s too far reaching – then membership of Dail for 3 previous administrations.
We need Dail reform and accountability at many levels including politicians and CS.
Seanad has no power – either before or after the vote. I voted to get rid as it had little impact.
Time to dissolve Dail & Seanad and start again.
I’d give Lucinda one :) I’m no snob !
Hey Loose-Cinders, back a horse that might win and forget about the current no. 1 hit single “we want reform of the Seanad” as it will be gone by next month and some other populist folly with be ‘idea du jour’
If we got this, power of recall to both houses and the ability to call in referenda with 75,000 signatures whenever we like, we’d have (dare I say it?) a pretty good system on our hands.
have your say