SERVICES

Tuesday October 4, 2011

Meet The Candidates

The Irish presidential election is underway, and a record seven candidates, with diverse, colorful and controversial backgrounds are aiming to succeed Mary McAleese. Meet the people who want to be the next President of Ireland:

Sean Gallagher

SEAN GALLAGHER

Independent
Age : 49
From: Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan
Campaign Slogan: "For an Independent President" and "Let's Put our Strengths to Work"
Famous for: An entrepreneur, best known for his role on RTE's Dragon Den series. The series, which his similar to the ABC's Shark Tank in the US, features successful businessman deciding whether or not to invest in small ventures after hearing pitches from their founders.
Strengths: A successful businessman whose focus on enterprise and jobs will resonate with the Irish public during times of high unemployment.
Weaknesses: He has links to Fianna Fail which will prove toxic to many voters. He was political secretary to former health minister Rory O'Hanlon, and was election manager for Seamus Kirk. He was also a member of FF's national executive, although he is no longer a member of the party.
Did You Know? Sean Gallagher was virtually blind until the age of four, when he had surgery for congential cataracts
Campaign to Date: Gallagher has promised not to put election posters up around the country, pointing out to members of the public that taxpayers will end up paying for them. He's promised a litter-free campaign.
Prospects: Not likely to win. Should do well in the border counties and can expect to pick up some of the Fianna Fail vote.

Mary Davis

MARY DAVIS

Independent
Age: 57
From: Swinford, Co. Mayo
Campaign Slogan: "Pride at home, Respect Abroad"
Famous for: She's best known for organizing the hugely successful 2003 Special Olympic World Summer Games in Dublin. She is currently on leave from her post as president of the Europe/Eurasia branch of Special Olympics.
Strengths: The Special Olympics has a strong organization around Ireland, with volunteer families in almost every parish. She's seen as Independent of every party.
Weaknesses: She has been referred to as the Queen of Quangos, having been appointed to several State boards over the past two decades, in many cases by the very unpopular government of Bertie Ahern. She also has close ties to businessman Denis O'Brien, whom she describes as her mentor. Ironically, given the success of the two previous presidents, her gender could be a negative factor as the public seem reluctant to elect a third female president called Mary in a row.
Did You Know? Mary Davis has served on the Council of State since 2004, after being appointed by President Mary McAleese. The Council of State comprises former Taoisigh, presidents, High Court justices and special appointees and is convened to advise the president on controversial legislation.
Campaign to date: Her campaign posters feature a striking full body image of Mrs Davis in a sharp red suit. However, there has been some comment on the fact that she looks much younger on the poster than she does in her media appearances, and accusations that it has been "photo-shopped". The poster has become an internet hit, with humorous redesigns in circulation. She has also been dogged by reports on how much she earned during her time as an appointee to State boards and quangos.
Prospects: A strong contender who could benefit if the campaign descends into mud-slinging by appearing to rise above it. She will do well on transfers, but probably maybe not well enough.

Michael D Higgins

MICHAEL D HIGGINS

Labour Party
Age: 70
From: Newmarket, Co. Clare
Campaign Slogan: "The President who will do us Proud"
Famous for: Has been a TD for West Galway for the past 30 years and a high profile campaigner. Widely regarded as an excellent Arts Minister during the Rainbow Coalition of the 1990s, he set up Irish language television station TnaG (now TG4). Was awarded first Sean MacBride International Peace Prize for his international human rights work
Strengths: Widely respected, with huge experience. While he's regarded as somewhat bohemian, he's well-liked by the public. He doesn't seem to have any skeletons in his closet and is considered a safe pair of hands. He has the advantage of being seen as somewhat anti-establishment, despite being part of the political mainstream for decades. He has been planning a run for president for several years and has his message well-honed.
Weaknesses: The only issue which appears to dog Michael D is his age. At 70, he is the oldest of the candidates in the field, and given that the presidency is a seven year term, there have been some concerns over his stamina for the job. Physically, he is much shorter than most of his opponents, which becomes particularly obvious in photographs of all seven standing together.
Did You Know? Michael D Higgins is a professor of sociology, and also a poet
Campaign to date: He has been very assured in media interviews to date, demonstrating a clear understanding of the role of president and his vision for the office. Michael D pulled off a political masterstroke when he arrived at Dublin City Council in the minutes before they were due to vote on David Norris's candidacy and asked Labour councilors to ensure his rival got on the ballot paper. It appeared magnanimous given that he would be competing with Norris for many votes, but has ensured huge transfers from the Senator if he gets eliminated first.
Prospects: The election is Michael D Higgins' to lose. He comes without the baggage that surrounds some of the other main contenders, and according to polls, he is the most transfer-friendly of all candidates - a key factor in such a crowded field. Favorite to be the next president of Ireland.

Martin McGuinness

MARTIN McGUINNESS

Sinn Fein
Age: 61
From: Derry City
Campaign Slogan: "The People's President"
Famous for: Where to begin? McGuinness is a former IRA commander, who has been one the most high profile political figures in Northern Ireland for the past two decades. He helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, and played a key role in the peace process. He has been Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland since 2007, and formed successful partnerships with both Rev Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson, his long-time enemies in the DUP.
Strengths: McGuinness is a candidate with charisma and of no little substance. Of all the candidates, he has been at the top of news headlines, and at the forefront of current affairs for the past two decades. In that respect he is almost a "celebrity" candidate as the public has seen him rub shoulders with some of the most powerful figures in the world.
Weaknesses: McGuinness claims that he left the IRA in 1974, the last year in which he was convicted of terrorism offences. However, most historians and most of the general public simply do not believe him. According to some respected journalists in Nothern Ireland, he was commander and chief of staff of the IRA, at least for some periods. Mr McGuinness denies killing anyone or ordering anyone's death while in the IRA. However, his IRA past is being scrutinized like never before, and for many, having a former Provo in the Aras is a step too far.
Did You Know? Martin McGuinness refused to attend the State Dinner for Britain's Queen Elizabeth at Dublin Castle during the highly successful visit earlier this year. However, he says he would now be prepared to meet the Queen if elected president.
Campaign to date: Unsurprisingly, the media has concentrated on McGuinness's IRA past, with constant questions about his role in various atrocities over the years. Fine Gael has also attacked the candidacy of Mr McGuiness. McGuinness has also struggled to demonstrate a knowledge of domestic politics in the Republic of Ireland, admitting he didn't know who the current environment minister was, or how many TDs were in the Dail. He's also been accused of being a "name dropper" after constant references to having met Nelson Mandela and others in media interviews. He gained ground on other candidates by offering to take just the average industrial wage as President, and donate the rest of the salary to hiring six unemployed people at the Aras.
Prospects: Is likely to do very well, and will certainly get a higher percentage of votes than Sinn Fein got in the general election earlier this year. However, even if he gets a strong first preference vote, he is unlikely to attract enough transfers to win the election. Outside chance.

Gay Mitchell

GAY MITCHELL

Fine Gael
Age: 59
From: Inchicore, Dublin
Campaign Slogan: "Understands our past. Believes in our future."
Famous for: Has won 14 elections in a 30-year political career, including eight to the Dail. He's served as an MEP for Dublin in the European Parliament since 2004. As Lord Mayor of Dublin, he suggested the city could host the Olympic Games.
Strengths: He has a big personal vote in Dublin, and has a strong electoral record. His party, Fine Gael, is enjoying record support in the polls and if their supporters toe the party line, he will do better than expected.
Weaknesses: He's seen as boring and bland by much of the electorate, and outside of Dublin his appeal may be limited. Senior figures in his party sought to have Pat Cox as their candidate, and is struggling to shake off the impression that he wasn't even his own party's first choice.
Did You Know? He lost out to Enda Kenny in the race for the leadership of Fine Gael in 2002.
Campaign to date: He's been the candidate most willing to engage in attacks on his opponents, concentrating his fire on Martin McGuinness. But without the gravitas of some of the other candidates, he's struggling to make a big enough impression.
Prospects: Poor. Most people in Ireland know Gay Mitchell well and are unlikely to have their previously held opinions changed during the campaign. Only a strong party vote could propel him to a victory, and polls indicate that is unlikely.

David Norris

DAVID NORRIS

Independent
Age: 67
From: Dublin
Campaign Slogan: "Changing Ireland for the Better"
Famous for: The first openly gay person elected to public office in Ireland, David Norris has been a senator representing Trinity College since 1987. He's an outspoken campaigner for human rights, and played a central role in the decriminalization of homosexuality in Ireland, by fighting a series of court cases with the help of Mary Robinson and others during the 1980s. He's also one of the world's foremost scholars of James Joyce, and is credited with resurrecting the writer's popularity and legacy in Ireland.
Strengths: By far the most charismatic candidate in the field, Norris is a strong public speaker and a great performer on the canvas trail. He enjoys widespread popular support, and enjoyed a commanding lead in polls before controversy struck his campaign this summer. He has a long history of being independent of party politics and fighting for minorities, and is the most anti-establishment of the candidates.
Weaknesses: Tends to be loud and verbose during media appearances, which can come across as egocentric and pompous. In 1997, he wrote letters seeking clemency for his former partner, who had been convicted of having sex with a 15 year old boy. The letters, along with media interviews in which he discussed his views on the age of consent, led to his withdrawal from the race during the summer, before his dramatic re-entry two weeks ago and the last minute scramble onto the ticket.
Did You Know? David Norris was born in the Belgian Congo, but raised in Ireland.
Campaign to date: Mr Norris has claimed that he cannot publish several of the letters he sent seeking clemency on his former partner's behalf citing "legal advice". However, the issue will not go away, and his excuses have led to the impression that the content of the letters must be more damaging to him, than the controversy over not publishing them. He has struggled to find time during media interviews to get his vision for the presidency across, because questions over the letters have dominated. He claims there has been no traction on the issue among members of the public. Mr Norris is also trying to rebuild his campaign team after many of the quit earlier in the summer. While other candidates have been focused on preparing for the campaign, he spent all his energy just trying to make it onto the ballot.
Prospects: Second Favorite. Norris still has a solid and loyal base of supporters, but unless he can find a way to put the letters controversy behind him, he will struggle. Polls suggest he is transfer-toxic at the moment. But if he can convince those former supporters to return, or even give him a second-preference, he could still have a chance at being Ireland's first gay president.

Dana Rosemary Scallon

DANA ROSEMARY SCALLON

Independent
Age: 60
From: Derry
Campaign Slogan: (none yet)
Famous for: Won the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest with "All Kinds of Everything", the first Irish winner of the contest. After a successful pop career, she moved to the US and became a Christian performing artist. She stood in the 1997 Presidential election, coming third behind Mary McAleese. Was elected to the European Parliament in 1999, but lost her seat in 2004. She's well known as a "family values" campaigner, opposed to divorce and abortion. She's also campaigned against most recent EU treaties.
Strengths: She is a skilled TV performer and a clever political strategist. She has a strong base in Connaught and Ulster, and among traditional social conservatives.
Weaknesses: She only entered the contest in its final week, and is still organizing her campaign as the others hit the ground running. She's seen as too much of a "Holy Joe" by most of the population, and may be affected by recent scandals in the Catholic Church.
Did You Know? Dana had been cast as one of the celebrity Gaelic Football managers in the RTE reality TV series Celebrity Bainisteoir until she decided to enter the race for the Aras at the last minute.
Campaign to date: She has performed well in the TV debates, by adopting tactics familiar to followers of Tea Party politics in the States. She carries a copy of the Irish constitution with her at all times and has tried to portray herself as defending it from attack, especially from Europe.
Prospects: She is a terrific campaigner, and is likely to do better than expected, particularly given that there is no Fianna Fail candidate in the race. However, she stands no chance of winning the overall contest.