Content
Table of Contents
Press statement: Nomination process for Presidency no longer fit for purpose – Sheridan
When I bowed out of the presidential election campaign in Tullamore on Monday, I said I had no regrets. Well today as nominations close, I do have one, that the election for the highest office in the land is after all, a three-horse race.
The lack of choice on the ballot is going to lead to a lack of representation, a democratic deficit, a process not befitting the office of the presidency which in turn undermines our democracy and the authority of the Presidency itself, no matter who prevails. The damage is done. There will be an underwhelmingly low turnout. That’s my only regret.
I remain so grateful for the opportunity to bid to be the youngest ever presidential candidate in our 100-year history, at the age of 36. Central to the loss of choice on the ballot will be the loss of my generation.
I remain forever grateful to those who afforded me that opportunity, the great people I met along the way on that journey over the past year. People who deeply believed in democratic values, robust and respectful debate, people who are willing on change, willing to put themselves out and to put out in the interests of our country, so that we can evolve from the fractured politics of left-right, the divisive politics of left-right, in favour of a new vision and set of values, so that we can work towards collaborating on a level never before imagined in the interest and benefit of future generations.
I wanted to collaborate and advocate for the establishment of an Office of Commissioner for Future Generations. Because this presidency must be forward looking, progressive and inclusive and most of all centred on the Ireland we will shape for our children and their children.
And the issue of the deplorable housing shortage hasn’t gone away because I didn’t make this ballot. The editorial in today’s Irish Times says it all on this topic, and the failure to accept there is a problem and the failure by those in charge to take responsibility is at the heart of our failure to forge solutions. The first step in solving any problem is to accept you have one and that you are responsible.
This goes way beyond my candidacy, where we came up just shy of making the ballot; after securing support from Kerry and Tipperary, we lost out by only one vote in Meath and came so close in Laois and Carlow. I can never thank enough those councillors who proposed, seconded and supported me, who put their faith and trust in me. Míle buíchos daoibh go léir.
However, the big issue here in this nomination process goes way beyond me, or any other individual for that matter. The nomination process for the presidency is broken and no longer fit for purpose. This must be obvious to everyone, regardless of which side of the political spectrum you are on, or whichever candidate you support. It’s simply not good or healthy for our democracy.
The stats speak for themselves – the lowest number of candidates on the ballot in 35 years; 4 candidates successfully emerged from the local authority route in both 2011 and 2018; 25 councils gave nominations in 2011 and 18 did so in 2018. On this occasion only 3 Councils exercised their Constitutional authority to nominate in the face of a robust, effective and well-orchestrated government campaign to block all other candidates.
I am not the loser here, the electorate are, local government is, democracy is diminished, as is the office of the Presidency. This I regret.
ENDS.
Any queries, please contact John Whelan, Media Liaison & Communications.
Phone: 087 2509663 Email: media@sheridanforpresident.ie
(A brief text or WhatsApp message may be the best way to ensure a prompt response if the phone line is engaged. Thank you).