Councillors across city and county councils have criticised the blocking of candidates seeking a nomination for the Presidential election, with one Cork councillor describing the situation as a “dark day for democracy”.
Independent Cllr Albert Deasy condemned Cork City Council’s decision yesterday to abstain from nominating a candidate for the race for the Áras, saying the move was “influenced by the heavy-handed tactics of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin” and that this “had effectively silenced the democratic voice of the people and blocked viable candidates, including a former Lord Mayor and sitting Member of Council [Kieran McCarthy].”
“This is a dark day for democracy in Cork,” said Cllr Deasy. “The refusal to nominate a candidate is a cynical exercise designed to manipulate the electoral process.”
“By bowing to party pressure, Councils all over the Country have denied citizens the opportunity to support independent voices, including those who could bring fresh perspectives to Áras an Uachtaráin.”
Cllr Deasy further said that the decision not to nominate a candidate “was obviously preordained and the meeting last evening amounted to a cynical exercise which humiliated prospective candidates and wasted everyone’s time.”
However, Independent candidate Gareth Sheridan has won the backing of Kerry County Council and Tipperary County Council this week.
Independent Ireland councillor, Noel O’Flynn, also expressed ‘profound’ disappointment with “the conduct of Cork City Council in relation to the presidential nomination process”.
“The vote was buried by 15 councillors against 10, following arrangements stitched together behind closed doors by party whips and larger parties. What is most troubling is not the result itself, but the refusal to even allow a debate on whether Cork should exercise its right to nominate a candidate,” he said.
“Councillors were denied the opportunity to set out why we should, or should not, put forward a candidate for the highest office in the land. That is not democracy. That is choreography. It reduces the Council’s role to rubber-stamping grubby little deals rather than engaging in open, honest discussion on matters of national importance.”
“The presidency belongs to the people. The Oireachtas and local authorities have a constitutional role in ensuring that a wide range of voices and viewpoints are heard in the nomination process. By shutting down debate, Cork City Council has failed in its duty to the citizens it represents,” he added.
“Cork is Ireland’s second city. We should be setting an example of openness and leadership. Instead, a majority of councillors chose to close ranks and close mouths. That is a disservice to democracy and a disservice to the people of Cork,” he said.
In Dublin last night, Independent councillor Gavin Pepper expressed dissatisfaction after Dublin City Council voted against nominating a candidate for the presidential race, by 50 votes to 9.
“Maria Steen spoke brilliantly tonight she deserves to be on the ballot,” Cllr Pepper posted on X, while adding: “They voted against nominating a independent candidate in the presidential Election in the council tonight it seems SF and PBP love handpicked candidates, democracy doesn’t exist in Ireland.”
Ms Steen, who has the backing of 10 TDs and Senators thus far, asked the councillors to consider her as “unifying candidate” who had an “understanding and love of” the Irish Constitution
To be eligible to run in the presidential election on Friday October 24th, a candidate must be nominated either by 20 members of the Oireachtas or four local authorities.
Independent candidates have faced a series of disappointments as Dublin and Cork became the latest councils to vote against nominating any Independent candidate – joining Galway City Council, and Roscommon, Longford, and Laois County Councils in their refusals, while Mayo County Council took a similar stance last week.
Mayo councillor Deirdre Lawless of Aontú said after the meeting of the county council that there was a “lack of respect” from the government for real choice for the electorate of Mayo and Ireland’
“It is truly incredible at how myopic this government is and the lengths to which it is going to prevent anybody not coming from its political block to get on the ballot paper,” she said.“Fine Gael has its own candidate, Fianna Fáil is voting on it today; I am not asking these parties to support another candidate, just to give another candidate a chance to put him or herself forward to the people.
“This is the essence of democracy, but what transpired at this month’s meeting of Mayo County Council fell far short of democracy,” she said.