Galway city councillors expressed tetchiness on Monday afternoon when none of the seven candidates seeking their support arrived on time for their presidential nomination hearings.
Three presidential hopefuls did address the chamber in Galway City Hall, but councillors present unanimously decided to decline endorsing anyone to be added to the October 24 ballot.
By resolution last week, the morning meeting on College Road was delayed to 4pm to facilitate attendance of councillors with day jobs, and to allocate more leeway to aspiring presidential candidates planning to speak to several local authorities across the country on so-called ‘Super Monday’.
The statutory meeting was delayed until 4.30pm at the request of Councillor Donal Lyons (Ind ) to give candidates extra time to arrive, as a full sitting of councillors, senior officials and the mayor, Councillor Mike Cubbard (Ind ) in full regalia, faced an empty lectern at four o’clock.
“It’s an insult. You wouldn’t turn up late to a job interview,” thundered Councillor Níall McNelis, leader of the city council’s Labour Party contingent. “Deciding to ratify candidates is one of the few powers councillors have. This is the law, and we’re all being disrespected. If you are serious about a job, then first thing you do is turn up on time to interview for it.”
Of the 10 candidates seeking support from Galway City Council, three withdrew before the Monday meeting – including Conor McGregor – while candidates Nick Delehanty, Keith McGrory and Diarmuid Mulcahy arrived just as Mayor Cubbard was contemplating closing the meeting.
After listening to each candidate’s five-minute presentation, councillors were invited to ask questions, before convening to decide if they would resolve to nominate one candidate. Candidates who are Irish citizens, aged at least 35, must receive nominations from four local authorities to appear on the presidential ballot.
Barna, County Galway resident, Diarmuid Mulcahy, a former member of the Green Party’s national executive, outlined his experience and vocation for public service. His presidency would have a theme of peace-making as he “abhors what is going in in Gaza and Ukraine.”
Nick Delehanty, aged 35, who ran unsuccessfully in Dublin Bay South as an independent at last November’s general election, said he “represented Generation Rent,” and that ten years as a solicitor qualified him for the president’s role in scrutinising legislation. He was unwilling to name the academics and senior barristers he intended to invite to his Council of State, if elected.
Donegal man Keith McGrory was not listed to address Galway city councillors, but the mayor allowed him to speak. The builder, construction economist and inventor of a telescopic bucket system felt his 25 years’ industry experience qualified him for a presidency which would not be ceremonial. He proposed monthly meetings with the government of the day to solve the housing emergency.
Mayor Cubbard thanked the unsuccessful candidates for attending Galway City Council, and several councillors urged all three to continue in politics.
This article is funded by Comisiún na Meán under its Local Democracy scheme.
