Gallagher quizzed on links to Fianna Fáil party

INDEPENDENT presidential candidate Sean Gallagher yesterday insisted he was “an independent candidate” and was drawing support from all parties.

Quizzed in Killarney about his relationship with Fianna Fáil, Mr Gallagher said he stepped down from the party’s national executive in January 2011, having indicated earlier to the party that he would do so. There had been no formal letter of resignation.

“You just cease to be a member,” he said.

Mr Gallagher’s website in the section “About Seán” and headed “past political experience” describes him as having been “a sporadic member of Fianna Fáil for many years”, detailing how he was now independent.

Pressed yesterday if he wanted to have it both ways — curry favour from Fianna Fáil while also looking for support from those who would not support that party, Mr Gallagher insisted he was independent. “I am an independent candidate. I made the decision to come through the council route and I did so.”

He had never made a secret of his involvement with Fianna Fáil. But he had never been a politician, he said: “I’ve never been a politician. I am an independent candidate. My message is not party political.

“[This message about] positivity and about confidence, and about inclusiveness for all was drawing support from all parties, including Fine Gael, Sinn Féin and Labour, as well as Fianna Fáil and those who have no party affiliation.”

His first stop in Kerry, at the Kerry Parents and Friends Association day centre for those with adult intellectual disabilities in Killarney, brought his campaign into the heart of what might be called Mary Davis territory. Several at the centre wore their special olympics medals. And several had been photographed in last week’s local papers at a ball in Killarney where Mary Davis, former Special Olympics organiser, was a special guest.

However, Mr Gallagher was the first candidate on the campaign to visit the centre and this was “very meaningful for everyone”, said nurse Breda Daly.

Gallagher insisted he had form in the area of disability. He is a patron of the Irish Association of Supported Employment (ISAE) and works for inclusiveness “I really believe people with disability deserve the same right to lead their lives to the fullest of their potential.”

He also had a disability, congenital cataracts, but he always led with his abilities not his disabilities.

His wife’s brother Kevin, 31, has Down syndrome and works in a supermarket in Kanturk. His wife, Trish O’Connor, has Cork/Kerry connections. Her grandmother was Julia O’Leary from Gneeveguilla in Sliabh Luachra.