The Presidency - New process before 2018

YESTERDAY’S decision by Fianna Fáil not to nominate candidates to contest the presidential election ended the ambitions of three aspiring candidates.

Senators David Norris and Labhrás Ó Murchú, as well as Dana Rosemary Scallon, depended on Fianna Fáil to have their names on the ballot card.

This guillotine was as much about party leader Micheál Martin reasserting authority he lost during this process, but it does underline the iron grip political parties have on what is largely a symbolic office.