Danny Healy-Rae: Calls to Open Up Presidential Candidacy
Danny Healy-Rae spoke in a debate about how presidential candidates are selected, arguing the process should be opened to many more people rather than being decided by a few. He criticised restrictions on local authorities by party hierarchies, lamented that several potential contenders were blocked, and urged planning now for reform ahead of the next contest, seven years away.
He welcomed the debate and said "something has to change," insisting the chance of running for president should be opened up to many more people. He noted the current process is confined and often determined by a small number of gatekeepers.
He said local authorities were meant to have an opportunity to support candidates but were restricted by their party hierarchies in ensuring they couldn't vote for independence and others. He argued that this restriction narrowed the field and undermined broader participation.
He regretted that several people did not get a chance to run, naming the likes of Bertie Heron and referring to other unnamed candidates who were prevented from standing. He described some of those individuals as having made significant contributions, including to the Good Friday Agreement, and said it was regrettable they were denied the opportunity to represent the country on the world stage.
He urged that planning for change begin immediately despite the next contest being seven years away, asking officials to take note and revise the selection process. He stressed the need to make the presidency more relevant, to increase public interest and turnout — which he said is expected to be very low — and to ensure the president plays an important part in the country's political life.
Main argument
He welcomed the debate and said "something has to change," insisting the chance of running for president should be opened up to many more people. He noted the current process is confined and often determined by a small number of gatekeepers.
Local authorities and party control
He said local authorities were meant to have an opportunity to support candidates but were restricted by their party hierarchies in ensuring they couldn't vote for independence and others. He argued that this restriction narrowed the field and undermined broader participation.
Blocked contenders and missed opportunities
He regretted that several people did not get a chance to run, naming the likes of Bertie Heron and referring to other unnamed candidates who were prevented from standing. He described some of those individuals as having made significant contributions, including to the Good Friday Agreement, and said it was regrettable they were denied the opportunity to represent the country on the world stage.
Call for reform and voter engagement
He urged that planning for change begin immediately despite the next contest being seven years away, asking officials to take note and revise the selection process. He stressed the need to make the presidency more relevant, to increase public interest and turnout — which he said is expected to be very low — and to ensure the president plays an important part in the country's political life.
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Transcript
Sure, I welcome this debate here today, and something has to change. We wish all the candidates that are on the ballot paper all the very best, but I, like a lot of other people, feel that the chance of running for president needs to be opened up to many more people. It's very confined, and as we have seen, it's determined by a few people who can and who can't run. I know that the local authorities were to have an opportunity, but they were restricted by their party hierarchies in ensuring that they couldn't vote for independence and others. I don't like naming names, but many people regret the fact that the likes of Bertie Heron, and we spoke about him here last night, and his role. All right, but there were other ladies as well that felt that, and people are talking about, we won't name them, so that's the young caller, but many other people feel that a certain other lady should have got a chance to run, and I regret that the same as those people, that they didn't get a chance. People that, the likes of the man I mentioned, did so much for the Good Friday Agreement, and for the well-being of our country, and it's regrettable, and would have been a sound operator on the worldwide stage that they didn't get a chance. We must do something different the next time. I know it's just seven years away, but we need to start planning now, and that's what I'm asking that he do, and take note of the fact we need changes in how this is done, and to make the presidency more relevant, and get a larger amount of people interested. It's being said out there, and you have it in your constituency, you all have it in your constituencies, that the turnout is expected to be very low, and that shows that people aren't interested. We must get people interested, and appreciate, and give the president a good role, and ensure that he or she plays an important part of our political well-being in the country. Thank you very much. Let's go.