Gavin Duffy: I’ll keep all Áras salary to recoup election costs

Dragon’s Den star, Gavin Duffy, will not give back part of his salary, if elected president.

Mr Duffy is seeking a nomination to run against President Michael D Higgins, who does forfeit part of his salary and who hopes to serve a second, seven-year term in Áras an Uachtarain.

However, Mr Duffy has said he would keep the €350,000 salary to recoup the cost of a presidential bid, which could be €1m.

On taking up office in 2011, President Higgins voluntarily reduced his own salary by €75,000, to just under €250,000.

But Mr Duffy told the Irish Mail on Sunday: “I would take the full salary, in order to recoup the expenditure required for a campaign.”

As potential candidates make their case in public and to county councils, from which they are seeking nominations, Senator Ó Ceidigh said he would be willing to release his medical records, should he get a nomination, and said that other potential candidates should do likewise.

“I don’t see how anyone would have an issue, unless they are concerned or worried about highlighting something. It is a fair question to ask.”

For many other jobs, candidates must undergo a medical examination as part of the interview process and he said the role of president shouldn’t be any different.

Questions have been raised around President Higgins’ future health, given his age, while Mr Ó Ceidigh, the former Aer Arann boss, suffered a heart attack six years ago.

Meanwhile, the Fianna Fáil party remains divided on whether party TD, Éamon Ó Cuív, should be nominated as a candidate.

The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party has already decided that it will back President Higgins and would not be putting forward its own candidate. Fine Gael has also decided not to put forward anyone to contest the presidency, while Sinn Féin will select a candidate soon.

But a number of Fianna Fáil councillors have now called on the party to support Mr Ó Cuív, who is the grandson of former president, Éamon de Valera.

Cavan councillor, John Paul Feely, who has spoken out in favour of Mr Ó Cuív, said:

“It is a great pity the leadership of our party does not have the courage to nominate a candidate to represent the party and do what political parties are supposed to do — contest elections.”