Galway motion seeks new sponsorship system for Áras run after ‘poor’ calibre of presidential hopefuls
Following a lacklustre presidential nomination process in Galway County Council, independent councillor Thomas Welby is set to table a motion aimed at restoring confidence in future candidates.
The motion, which will be brought before members at the November plenary meeting, proposes that any individual seeking the council’s nomination for the presidency must first secure the backing of at least 10pc of sitting councillors before being permitted to present their case.
It also stipulates that candidates must attend the special nomination meeting in person.
Cllr Welby, who has served on the council for over 15 years and witnessed two previous presidential nomination cycles, said the calibre of candidates this year was “quite poor”.
On the docket to present before the elected members this past November were 25 names, and only five of them turned up.
Councillors virtually agreed the presenters were unfit for the job with little to no prior experience in local government or similar roles. One exchange even saw tensions flare between one candidate and Cllr Karey Farag McHugh as Cllr McHugh expressed frustrations over lack of individual canvassing from the potential candidates.
The process ultimately ended in disappointment, with no nominations put forward.
“People need to interact with politics,” Cllr Welby told the Irish Independent. “If somebody comes to me and says, ‘I'm going to run for the presidential race, and would you be willing to nominate me?’ I'd sit down and you talk to me.”
The proposed measure echoes a precedent set by Fingal County Council in 2018, which requires presidential hopefuls to “secure the sponsorship of four elected members,” according to its guidelines. Cllr Welby said adopting a similar approach in Galway would not be “reinventing the wheel”.
The motion is scheduled for discussion at the upcoming plenary meeting in November.