Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Hanafin in 2023. Alamy Stock Photo

Former Fianna Fáil minister Mary Hanafin 'would happily' contest the presidency

She is the first Fianna Fáil party member to announce her intentions to contest the nomination.

LAST UPDATE | 28 Jun

FORMER FIÁNNA FÁIL minister Mary Hanafin has said that she’s “in the mix” for the party’s presidential nomination. 

“If I could contest it, I would happily do that. It’s a role I would hope people could feel I would do well, both nationally and internationally,” she told The Irish Independent.

Sixty-six-year-old Hanafin previously told The Irish Times in April that she was open to the conversation of contesting the presidency – although she said it was ultimately up to Taoiseach and party leader Micheál Martin. 

She is the first Fianna Fáil party member to announce her intention to contest the nomination. This afternoon, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú was asked on RTÉ’s Saturday with Colm Ó Mongain if she had ruled out a bid for the Fianna Fáil presidential nomination, who replied that she was “extremely happy” in her current role as an MEP. Ní Mhurchú did not wholly rule out the prospect.

Fine Gael’s MEP Seán Kelly has all but declared his intention to run, having told The Journal in Brussels earlier this week that the main deterrent is the length of a presidential term.

Hanafin was first elected to the Dáil in 1997, serving the Dún Laoghaire constituency. Throughout her three consecutive terms as a TD, she held a number of Cabinet positions, including Minister for Education, Minister for Enterprise, and Minister for Social and Family Affairs, and Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport.

tourism-minister-mary-hanafin-attends-the-launch-of-the-iftas-irish-film-and-television-awards-in-dublin-where-she-confirmed-that-she-refused-to-declare-support-for-taoiseach-brian-cowen-in-the-def Hanafin pictured in 2011. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

In 2011, she was briefly deputy leader of Fianna Fáil, having lost the party’s leadership election to incumbent leader Micheál Martin.

Hanafin left office in 2011. In 2014, she served as a councillor on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county council, representing Blackrock. She remained on the council until 2024. 

In 2014, Hanafin defied the wishes of Martin for her to refrain from submitting nomination papers to contest the local elections in the Blackrock area. Dubbed the ‘Battle of Blackrock’, Hanafin was ultimately elected on the first count.

She drew criticism from former Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s wife Mary Cowen in 2016, when Hanafin was apparently rebuffed by Martin after she announced she intended to join Fianna Fáil’s front bench were she elected to the Dáil.

Hanafin subsequently made remarks regarding Martin at the party’s ardfheis – which Mary Cowen derided in a Facebook post. 

Hanafin is the daughter of Des Hanafin, a businessman and Fianna Fáil councillor who also served as a senator. Her brother John Hanafin was a member of the Seanad from 2002 to 2008.

She is currently a barrister.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

View 124 comments
Close
124 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Benjamin Dolan
    Favourite Benjamin Dolan
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 9:36 AM

    Some security. you can imagine whats coming into the country, when they can’t even secure a prison.

    119
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bruce Miller
    Favourite Bruce Miller
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 9:39 AM

    @Benjamin Dolan: Not too many escaping though!

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rear Admiral
    Favourite Rear Admiral
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 10:36 AM

    @Bruce Miller: why would they want to with that statistic above

    45
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bruce Miller
    Favourite Bruce Miller
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 10:54 AM

    @Rear Admiral: Freedom?

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dotty Dunleary
    Favourite Dotty Dunleary
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 11:10 AM

    @Bruce Miller: Why would a lot of those habitual offenders want to escape from prison?
    They get 3 meals a day, allowances to buy cigarettes and snacks, access to a gym for free, a warm/dry bed. Meeting up with all there old gang members to discuss better way to commit crimes.
    Not to mention all the illegal stuff, smuggled mobile phones, drugs, probably play-stations too…

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colm Lawlor
    Favourite Colm Lawlor
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 12:29 PM

    @Benjamin Dolan: bit hard to pull the stuff out of their arses

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bill O'Brien
    Favourite Bill O'Brien
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 10:27 AM

    For many years those in charge of prisons in this country have turned a blind eye to drug use in prisons. It “kept a lid on things” was how one prison officer, interviewed a few years ago, put it. Its not good enough that you can enter the prison system here clean and come out a drug addict. This is clearly the fault of those in charge of these prisons, Governors, such as John Lonergan, for many years in charge of Mountjoy, have a lot to answer for but have never been made accountable.

    77
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean O'Brien
    Favourite Sean O'Brien
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 12:51 PM

    @Bill O’Brien: I work with x Governor John Lonergan he was not a nice person when a Prison Officer that was involve in a shooting incident (when he was shot at) went to him for help he [Lonergan] ignore that Prison Officer, which is now part of a “Protective Disclosure” and was raised with the “Public Accounts Committee” including the “Justice Committee”.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute paddy
    Favourite paddy
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 3:34 PM

    @Bill O’Brien:nonsense

    1
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bruce Miller
    Favourite Bruce Miller
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 4:30 PM

    @paddy: And why is that – do you know!?

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute paddy
    Favourite paddy
    Report
    Feb 27th 2018, 5:04 PM

    @Bruce Miller: yes bruce i do know

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nick
    Favourite Nick
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 10:03 AM

    Did charges for drug seizures go up by the same percentage? If not, why?

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bruce Wardrop
    Favourite Bruce Wardrop
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 9:45 AM

    Would be interesting to see data other relevant info – e.g. the number of searches performed etc to put this figure into context. Are there more detailed / frequent searchers or is there more contraband getting in?

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Murphy
    Favourite John Murphy
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 12:20 PM

    Should be a year automatic on to your sentence to be caught with a phone or drugs. There are no meaningful consequences for them.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Devlin
    Favourite Michael Devlin
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 1:43 PM

    Visits should only be behind glass but the human rights brigade wouldnt have it as they can’t seem to comprehend that prison is actually supposed to be punishment. Sentences should be dramatically increased for those caught with phones or drugs inside

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Féach News
    Favourite Féach News
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 11:26 AM

    Sales of Vaseline Soar in Phibsborough

    https://twitter.com/thejournal_ie/status/968054233043034112

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Gallagher
    Favourite Anthony Gallagher
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 12:02 PM

    Now we can see why judges dont want to be sending petty criminals to prisons .anything but rehabilitation

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute blue exile
    Favourite blue exile
    Report
    Feb 26th 2018, 1:29 PM

    I predict a riot

    6
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds