Higgins seeks Labour nomination for presidential run

IRELAND has yet to create a “real republic” where every citizen is adequately provided for, Labour’s Michael D Higgins has said.

Mr Higgins formally launched his campaign yesterday to win the Labour Party nomination to run for the Presidency.

It came as businessman Sean Gallagher, known from his involvement with the Dragon’s Den TV programme, announced he was giving “consideration” to running for the Áras.

In a “May Day statement” outlining why he wanted to become president, Mr Higgins said the injustices that had motivated the founders of the Labour Party — such as poverty, inequality and exploitation — were still very much in evidence.

“This is particularly ironic following a period of unprecedented opportunity in terms of the availability of capital and current funds — funds that could and should have transformed Ireland, provided a floor of social protection and made significant gains towards achieving an equality of citizenship within a republic,” he said.

“In the absence of a radical inclusive society, it follows that I believe that we have yet to engage in the task of establishing what I would describe as a realrepublic.”

Mr Higgins said that after the War of Independence, there had been “an almost seamless institutional continuity which ran on from many of the British institutions with not dissimilar degrees of privilege, patriarchy, and hierarchy.

“In effect, many of those who fought for independence and were inspired by the laudable ideals of the 1916 Proclamation had their version of a republic stolen from them,” he added.

“We now urgently need to work together to create the foundations of a real republic, based on the needs, aspirations, imagination and genius of all our people in their different ways.

“In a real republic, the right to shelter; food security; education; a good and sustainable environment; and freedom from fear and insecurity from childhood to old age, must be the benchmarks.

“Indeed, I have long advocated this concept of a ‘citizenship floor’, a minimum set of rights which are non-negotiable and must be provided for all citizens.”

Mr Higgins is now embarking on a countrywide campaign to win firstly the Labour nomination and then the Presidency.

Labour is likely to decide on its candidate this month, now that the Seanad elections are finished. The presidential election is set to take place in October.

Mr Higgins will be up against former Labour adviser and current Barnados’ chief executive Fergus Finlay for the party’s nomination.

“Fergus Finlay is a formidable and able candidate also, but I believe that the party will be best served by putting me forward,” Mr Higgins said.

Meanwhile, Mr Gallagher — who has served as a Fianna Fáil electoral strategist in the past — said he was “considering” running for the Presidency as an Independent candidate.

He said he would announce his decision “in the coming weeks” following a consultation exercise.

This will include gauging whether he can actually muster enough support to get a nomination to run in the first place.

In order to run, a candidate must be nominated by at least 20 TDs and/or senators or at least four city and/or county councils.