Is it undemocratic for councils not to nominate an Independent candidate?
Last week, Mayo County Council voted against nominating an Independent candidate for the upcoming Presidential election, despite receiving 17 written submissions from hopefuls.
Candidates were not invited to address the council directly, instead, a written submission process was agreed by the Corporate Policy Group (CPG) on July 7, 2025.
The CPG comprises of the Chair of the council plus six councillors, each are the Chairs of the other Strategic Policy Committees. They then circulated the submissions to all councillors ahead of the meeting.
Aontú councillor Deirdre Lawless proposed nominating Maria Steen, but the motion was defeated with five voted in favour, 19 against, and two abstained. No other nominations were made.
Following the meeting, Cllr Lawless voiced her frustration towards Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, and hit out at what she deemed as the government's "lack of respect for real choice for the electorate of Mayo and Ireland".
She insisted that she was not asking government councillors to support another candidate, but to allow an Independent candidate the opportunity to go forward for consideration.
She had called for a caucus with candidates, but said she was told that such meetings were unnecessary given the written submission process.
Cllr Lawless believes that the process agreed at the CPG meeting limited potential candidates' ability to canvas, as they were required to submit their applications in writing to the Meetings Administrator rather than engaging directly with councillors.
During the meeting, Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Ryan, expressed concern over the lack of canvassing he had experienced. He said that in previous elections, he had been approached "significantly" by candidates.
He subsequently proposed that the council should not nominate a candidate, noting, however, that if there were a Mayo connection, then there would have to be serious consideration given.
Following the meeting Cllr Ryan stated that the CPG did not prohibit candidates from contacting councillors directly, in addition to their written submission. He said that any candidate who was serious about securing a nomination should have reached out to members personally.
However, Cllr Lawless condemned the choice made by her fellow councillors.
"This is the essence of democracy, but what transpired at this month's meeting of Mayo County Council fell far short of democracy," she said, "I am unwavering in my respect for the democratic process and believe it is a shocking shame that Mayo County Council did not use our privileged position and nominate someone."
"Given this Government is continuously calling for 'diversity 'and 'choice', it is staggering that it is not championing the same principles when it comes to candidates for the Presidential Election," she added.
It could be argued that a councils decision not to nominate an Independent candidate for the Presidential election is undemocratic, as it limits choice for the electorate.
Local authorities play a key role in the democratic process of allowing candidates outside of the mainstream parties to enter the race.
The lack of opportunity for Independent candidates to engage directly with councillors, with the process conducted entirely through written submissions to the CPG’s Meeting Administrator, is argued to have reduced the likelihood of a nomination.
In the days leading up to the council meeting, it was reported that Fine Gael leader Simon Harris had instructed his councillors not to support any Independent candidate.
This raised concerns that voters could face restrictions on polling day, potentially limiting their choice to the three candidates currently in the running: former Fine Gael TD Heather Humphreys, Fianna Fáil's nominee Jim Gavin, and Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who received backing from the Labour Party to secure her place on the ballot.
Cllr Ryan confirmed that Fianna Fáil were never directed not to facilitate a nomination and said: “I firmly believe if something is worth getting, it’s worth asking for.”
Councils are under no legal obligation to nominate a candidate. Independent hopefuls can still gain a place on the ballot through the support of 20 Oireachtas members, and councillors are elected to exercise judgment on behalf of their constituents.
It could be seen as an example of representative judgment rather than a lack of democracy.
Requiring written submissions is also a practical measure to ensure an orderly and fair process, avoiding complications such as those seen in Roscommon, where technical delays during the presentation of 11 Independent candidates extended the meeting for six hours. The meeting ultimately resulted in no nomination being made.
Since the meeting of Mayo County Council, seven other local authorities have declined to nominate a candidate. These include: Roscommon, Laois, Galway and Longford county councils, and Dublin, Cork and Galway city councils.
Both Kerry and Tipperary county councils have opted to nominate businessman and CEO Gareth Sheridan. He now needs the support of two other local authorities to secure a place in the race.
Maria Steen, who did not secure the nomination from Mayo County Council, told Dublin City Council she has gained the backing of 10 members of the Oireachtas.
This article was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.