Maria Steen concedes presidential race, says political consensus 'detached from public’s wishes'

Independent candidate Maria Steen missed the presidential ballot by two signatures but said her campaign showed public hunger for alternatives

Independent presidential candidate Maria Steen has fallen short of the ballot by just two votes.

The barrister secured 18 Oireachtas signatures, two short of the 20 required to enter the race.

She had an appointment at the Custom House at 11am to submit her nomination papers.

Despite intense lobbying, independent senators refused to shift on Wednesday morning ahead of the 12pm deadline.

'I do not feel I have lost'

Speaking outside Leinster House, Maria Steen said she was “humbled by the outpouring of support” for her campaign.

“While I'm honoured to have received 90% of the signatures required from members of the Oireachtas, I regret to say that it's not enough, and that time has now run out,” she said.

I entered this race in the hope of giving voters a real choice.”

Speaking in Irish, she said she was disappointed but very proud of her progress.

She continued: “The response from the public in recent days confirms the hunger that there is for an alternative candidate.

“Sadly, that hunger will now go unsatisfied. Rarely has the political consensus seemed more oppressive or detached from the wishes and desires of the public.

“I want to acknowledge with sincere gratitude the many councillors who voted for me, some of whom courageously went against party diktat to do so.

“I'm also grateful to the 18 parliamentarians, true democrats all, who gave me their signatures, some of whom because they wanted to support me in the election, and some of whom because they believed in democracy and that the verdict on my candidacy should be rendered not by an elite but by the people.

“My effort to make the ballot has not been successful, but I do not feel I have lost.” 

Independent presidential candidate Maria Steen speaking to the media outside Leinster House Dublin, after she failed to achieve the 20 required signatures to enter the presidential race. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Ms Steen thanked her husband Neil, her five children, and her parents for their support.

She also paid tribute to other unsuccessful independent candidates, including Nick Delehanty and Gareth Sheridan.

Ms Steen concluded: “It has been a privilege to have won the confidence and support of so many people around the country over the last few weeks.

“While it would have been the honour of a lifetime to serve as first citizen of Ireland, being a citizen is honour enough for me.” 

Ms Steen declined to take media questions.

Meanwhile, justice minister Jim O’Callaghan pushed back on assertions the nomination process should be changed due to Ms Steen being unable to get on the ballot.

“I don’t think so. When Éamon de Valera drafted the Constitution, he put together a very specific routine for how people get nominated to be a candidate for the office of President,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“It’s challenging, you need to get 20 members of the Oireachtas or four local authorities.

“I don’t think that simply because didn’t make it on to the ballot paper this time that there’s a requirement to have a constitutional amendment to change the Constitution, which would be required.”

With the nomination window now closed, there are just three candidates on the ballot for the first time since the election of 1990. 

They are Independent Catherine Connolly, Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys, and former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin, who is running for Fianna Fáil.

The election will be held on October 24.

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