Connolly ‘looking forward to’ Sinn Fein endorsement

Catherine Connolly has said she is “looking forward to” a Sinn Fein endorsement for her presidential campaign, despite the party not having announced a formal decision yet.

Ms Connolly, an independent TD for Galway, said she remained “hopeful” that the largest opposition party will support her bid for the presidency.

She has already secured the backing of Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity and a range of independents.

Sinn Fein has yet to announce whether it will support Ms Connolly or run its own candidate.

Asked if she had been in contact with Sinn Fein about whether it will back her candidacy, Ms Connolly said she respected that the party was going through its own processes, but added: “It is taking a little longer than I hoped.”

Elaborating on the matter while speaking in Irish, she said she was “hopeful” Sinn Fein would back her campaign and that she is “ag suil le tacaiocht”, or “looking forward to” support from the party.

“I understand what they are doing and that this is an important decision, but a lot depends on the decision Sinn Fein will make,” she said in Irish.

She said that while the opposition parties will not agree on everything, the “vast majority” of what she says can be agreed upon.

“We can come together on the important things,” she said in Irish.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein justice spokesman Matt Carthy said his party would be making a decision on the campaign “in the next number of weeks”.

“We are considering all the options. And the options are very clear – either we put forward our own candidate, or we support another candidate.”

Elsewhere, a Fianna Fail minister said his party needs a presidential candidate with “broad reach” beyond its own membership.

Minister Thomas Byrne said he believes Fianna Fail should run a candidate “in principle” but added that whoever is selected must be able to win the election.

The party has yet to formally clarify whether it will run a candidate, with leader and Taoiseach Micheal Martin saying a decision would be made in early autumn.

Recent speculation relating to the party has raised questions over whether senior Fianna Fail figures would oppose a bid by former leader and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin has been reported as being seen as someone who could be a party candidate with wider appeal.

Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher also refused to rule himself out of contention on Tuesday.

Asked specifically if Fianna Fail leadership had decided it would not support Mr Ahern, Mr Byrne said the parliamentary party was due to have a discussion on the election “very, very soon”.

He told RTE’s Morning Ireland: “In principle, I think Fianna Fail should run a candidate for the presidency but I think we have to be very, very clear that we want a candidate that not only would be a good candidate, but they can also win the presidency and be a good president.”

Mr Byrne said his party had support levels in the “lower 20s” in the general election but it would require more than 50% of the vote – after transfers – to win the presidency.

He added: “That’s a high threshold to cross, and it is essential that whoever we run has the prospect of winning and to get more than double the Fianna Fail support at the last general election in order to win that election.“

Mr Byrne said that would have to be a candidate that has “broad reach across the country”, adding: “Any candidate who’s coming has to tell me how they can bridge that gap.”

Weighing in on the matter, Mr Kelleher told RTE’s Today With Claire Byrne that he had been approached by party colleagues about potentially running for Fianna Fail.

Asked if he was ruling out a bid, Mr Kelleher said he did not give it any personal consideration but added: “I’ve been a member of the parliamentary party since 1993, I’ve given my life to the party, the party has been very good to me.

“The point I make is, if you were approached, well, obviously you would have to give it consideration.”

Mr Kelleher stressed that he had not been asked to run by the party leadership.

Tuesday also saw independent hopeful Nick Delehanty hold a media launch for his campaign.

In a wide ranging press conference, Mr Delehanty told reporters that he did not believe in multiculturalism and said there should be “a culture that most people sign up to”.

He further criticised the current “rotating Taoiseach” arrangement of Ireland’s coalition Government.