‘It’s a real shame’ – Presidential election race is a ‘closed club’ says Louth councillor

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

While potential presidential candidates are preparing to set out their stall to local authorities, including Louth County Council, one local councillor has criticised the nomination system as “a closed club.”

Ciaran Fisher, Independent councillor for Dundalk/Carlingford, said the upcoming presidential election “promises to be a more novel affair than the local and general elections of 2024.”

Presidential hopefuls can secure a nomination for the race through a number of routes including: receiving the backing of at least twenty members of the Oireachtas, the support of at least four local authorities, or a self nomination if they are the incumbent or former president.

The deadline for nominations in the 2025 election is noon on September 24, leaving successful nominees with a short window to campaign for support..

Cllr. Fisher argues that, “by design, the current process limits voter choice to a pre-vetted slate of candidates, often from the political establishment, reducing the election to a contest among insiders rather than a true reflection of public will.”

He added: “The root of this slim chance lies in the nomination process itself, which operates like something of a closed club, and that's a real shame. Party gatekeeping will effectively stifle rivals in this presidential race. This partisan directive highlights deep-seated flaws in Ireland's presidential nomination process, which disproportionately favours established political parties and erects formidable barriers for independents.”

These requirements, combined with party dominance, “cry out for reform as the Oireachtas and local authorities are dominated by Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin,” said Cllr. Fisher.

He said it would be “quite the achievement for any candidate to get a nomination outside the party tickets, as parties can whip their members and councillors to promote only their chosen candidates.”

The Dundalk councillor said: “I think the public would like to see more options on their ballot.”

“But, to realise this hypothetical potential, councillors, TDs, and senators would need to put democratic principles ahead of party loyalty. This almost certainly won't happen—not even close—and the ballot paper will be deliberately short and limited, as most candidates will be squeezed out. This makes the role very niche and limited, so it's no surprise the public finds it a hard election to get excited about.”

He added: “In a democracy, the presidency should represent the broadest possible spectrum of Irish society, yet the nomination hurdles ensure that only those aligned with major parties—or exceptionally well-resourced independents—stand a realistic chance.

“I'd be all for allowing easier entry to the ballot, perhaps by enforcing unique nominations and using a PR system for Oireachtas members (nominations pass to another candidate once one has 20 supporters). Maybe allowing councils to nominate multiple candidates via multiple in-county votes, or direct nomination once a certain number of councillors agree, would be a positive move. It would certainly allow for different groupings and faces to get on the ballot, giving a greater chance to smaller parties too.”

Cllr. Fishre said councils “now have a superficial vote in the presidential campaign that amounts to very little relevance. This centralization of power raises questions about accountability.”

“Until changes are implemented, Ireland's presidential election will remain an uneven contest, where the real power lies not with the people, but with party leaders who can dictate the terms of entry.”