Mayo County Council not backing any independent candidate in Presidential election
Mayo County Council has voted against putting forward an Independent nominee for the Presidential election, despite calls from some councillors to widen the choice available to voters.
At the council’s monthly meeting, members heard that a total of 13 candidates had written to the council seeking a nomination.
Currently, there are two confirmed candidates for the Presidential election. Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who has the backing of the Labour Party, and former Fine Gael TD Heather Humphreys.
Fianna Fáil is expected to vote for its candidate in a secret ballot today, Tuesday, September 9.
Aontú councillor Deirdre Lawless proposed Dublin-based barrister Maria Steen for the nomination, a proposal seconded by Independent Ireland councillor Chris Maxwell.
Cllr Lawless said she believed it was important that councillors take the opportunity to nominate a candidate in order to give the electorate a wider choice on polling day. She stated that the general public doesn't feel represented by the current candidates.
“I think it is important we use our position here to allow for Independent candidates to have a position,” she said, “It's very unfortunate that Simon Harris has asked his councillors to vote against [Independent candidates]. I think it is quite undemocratic and unfair because it blocks Independent candidates from this process.”
Ms Steen is a member of the Iona Institute, a Catholic advocacy group that campaigned against both the marriage equality referendum in 2015 and the repeal of the Eighth Amendment in 2018.
She is an advocate for stay-at-home mothers and has been active in Irish politics, having debated Taoiseach Micheál Martin on RTÉ last year during the campaign for the 2024 referendum on constitutional changes relating to the definition of family and a woman’s place in the home.
Her nomination was defeated by 19 votes to five, with two councillors abstaining.
Fianna Fáil whip, Cllr Damien Ryan, told the meeting he had not been personally canvassed by any candidate seeking the council’s backing, noting that in past elections he had been canvassed “significantly.”
“I think as a local authority, if there was a Mayo connection, we would have to give it serious consideration, but on this occasion, we should be looking at a situation where we don't take a decision,” he said.
His comments were echoed by party colleague Cllr Al McDonnell, who also said he had not been contacted by any candidate.
Fianna Fail councillor Brendan Mulroy, however, said he has been canvassed personally by “one or two” candidates.
He said that regardless of what party the councillors are part of, if someone writes to a local authority, he believed that they should be afforded the opportunity to address the council directly.
“I have no difficulty in listening to what people have to say. At the end of the day, a vote will be taken. We live in a democracy, and I think it’s very important that we listen to what they have to say.”
The outcome means Mayo County Council will not put forward an Independent candidate, leaving the presidential race to be shaped by nominations, if any, from other local authorities and political parties. Polling day for the election will take place on Friday, October 24.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.