ENTREPRENEUR SEÁN Gallagher’s bid for the presidency gained further momentum last night when he secured the unanimous support of Leitrim County Council.
This brings to five the number of local authorities who have indicated their support for Mr Gallagher. He insisted that he would not be resting on his laurels and would continue to make his case to other councils around the State.
Last night’s decision came less than a month after Mr Gallagher was at the centre of a heated debate in the Leitrim council chamber when a number of Fine Gael councillors objected to a proposal that he get the council’s backing, before other prospective candidates got a chance to put their case. Independent councillor Enda Stenson, who had proposed that the council nominate Mr Gallagher, agreed to withdraw his motion until last night.
Councillors heard submissions from Senator David Norris and another prospective candidate Clare-based artist Dermot Mulqueen, who said he wanted Ireland to get a new “political capital” which should be built on a greenfield site near Moate.
In his appeal to councillors, Mr Norris said he had throughout his career tried to challenge the consensus on behalf of those who did not have a voice. He told councillors he was not asking for their support as president, “I am only asking for permission to be allowed to subject myself to the will of the Irish people.”
Mr Gallagher, who already has the support of Longford, Roscommon, Clare and Donegal councils, said that job creation, the importance of communities and advocating for the disabled would be key planks of his campaign.
Meanwhile, Mr Norris, Mary Davis and Pat Jones heard members of all the main parties at Wicklow County Council express solidarity with them over the “restricted” nominating process.
Labour’s Jimmy O’Shaughnessy said while his party would be supporting Michael D Higgins, all candidates “should be given the opportunity to come before the people of Ireland”. He was supported by party colleague John Byrne, who said the nomination process was a “a restriction on democracy”.
The Wicklow councillors agreed to discuss the issue further in September.
Ms Davis also made a presentation to Meath county councillors yesterday evening. The Special Olympics chief spoke of her capacity to succeed at opening minds and changing attitudes.
While the 29-member council will not decide until September which of the Independent candidates’ nomination it will support, several Fianna Fáil councillors praised her work with the Special Olympics and said they hoped to see her name on the ballot paper.