Better to have links to US than to Europe, claims Dana
The Independent candidate was speaking after it emerged she had taken an oath to become a US citizen but had failed to inform voters.
She said yesterday that her family had no memory of comments repeated in a US court where it was said voters should not be informed of her dual citizenship. She denied concealing anything from the electorate.
Ms Scallon’s sister, Susan Stein, told a US court in 2008 that her brother and Dana’s husband, Damien Scallon, discussed not telling the Irish public that Dana had become a US citizen ahead of her previous bid for the Áras in 1997.
According to one report, Ms Stein told the Iowa court: “She [Dana] had just acquired her American citizenship, at the same time she was running for president of a foreign country, and the decision was made that it wouldn’t look very good if the people of Ireland knew she was an American citizen.”
The case was over a family row on ownership of some of Dana’s religious recordings.
Ms Scallon said yesterday that her brother and husband could not recollect having such a conversation. She told RTÉ her sister’s comments were “a mistaken memory”.
She also said she had become a US citizen in 1999 and not 1997, as suggested by sister’s comments about contesting the then presidential race.
She became a US citizen as her husband was American, she said, recalling having taken the oath of allegiance.
The oath states that people becoming naturalised US citizens renounce their allegiance to all other states.
But Ms Scallon said she saw no problem being a US citizen while also seeking to be Ireland’s first citizen.
“If I’m elected, I would be in the unique position to strengthen the bonds with America while making sure that our relationship with Europe is based on friendship and co-operation rather than colonisation.”
Earlier, the Eurovision winner told Radio Kerry that it was better to have links to the US rather than to Europe.
“We claimed part of Barack Obama from Moneygall. I would have no difficulties in Americans claiming a little bit of me as an Irish president. I truly knew it wasn’t a problem because dual citizenship means you’re a citizen of both nations,” she said.
“I would say it’s a much better advantage to be a citizen of the United States, where we have very long and good ties and rely upon that country to invest direct foreign investment in this country.
“We’re certainly going to have much more advantage in sharing that relationship with the United States than we are with Europe.”
Labour candidate Michael D Higgins said there may be “a disqualification in law” in Ms Scallon contesting the race. The Department of Environment said the only criteria needed to run were being aged 35 or above and being Irish.
Meanwhile, the director of elections for Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell yesterday refuted reports that party insiders had called his campaign “doomed”.
Despite Mr Mitchell only achieving 10% in the most recent poll, Charlie Flanagan said canvassing on the ground was “only now hitting a high gear”.
