Five independent candidates addressed members of Clare County Council on Monday in a bid to secure nomination to contest the next Presidential election. Dan Danaher reports

DRAGON’S Den star Seán Gallagher looks poised to get the support of Clare County Council for the next presidential election.
Much political lobbying has taken place over the last few weeks The Clare Champion has learned, and Mr Gallagher looks to be the hot favourite to receive the nod when the expected vote takes place next Monday.
Councillor James Breen could end up being kingmaker if, as expected, the vote is tight. Another Independent Councillor, Michael Begley, who left Fianna Fáil in 2008, recently approached some local Fianna Fáil councillors about supporting Mr Gallagher, having met him a few times through business contacts.
It looks certain that 11 Fianna Fáil councillors and Councillor Begley will support Mr Gallagher and there are also strong indications that they may be joined by Independent Councillors PJ Ryan, Tommy Brennan and Gerry Flynn and possibly Pascal Fitzgerald, if the Labour Party don’t apply a whip in the coming days.
This would leave a tie with 16 votes for and against if Councillor Breen decided to go with Fine Gael and the rest of the councillors or 16 to 15 if he abstains.
Fianna Fáil chief whip, Councillor PJ Kelly, pointed that while Fianna Fáil councillors might facilitate Mr Gallagher’s entry onto the ballot paper, this doesn’t mean they would support him in the subsequent presidential election.
Councillor Kelly recalled he received a lot of flak from officials in party headquarters when Fianna Fáil councillors, who held the majority on the council in 1997, opted to abstain to allow independent candidate, Derek Nally, put his name on the ballot paper.  He said he actively supported Fianna Fáil-nominated candidate Mary McAleese in the subsequent campaign.
He said if Councillor Begley had not approached him, he didn’t know what independent candidate they would have supported at this stage.
Councillor Begley explained his motivation to support Mr Gallagher has nothing to do with his previous association with Fianna Fáil and said there is still a lot of uncertainty if Fianna Fáil would have a candidate and whether or not MEP Brian Crowley would run.
Councillor Brian Meaney expressed his disappointment that Mr Gallagher declined to outline his previous involvement with Fianna Fáil, despite being questioned at the meeting about any party affiliations on Monday.
Mr Gallagher admitted he had been active in the past in politics and had several friends in the main political parties. However, he said he felt the best approach in the presidential election is to stand as an independent.
Councillor Meaney said that Mr Gallagher chose not to outline his involvement with Fianna Fáil because the party is seen by some as “politically toxic”.

Candidates state their case

POLITICS is about the power of the possible according to Mary Davis, who claimed she had the quality “in spades”.
Involved with Special Olympics Ireland for 30 years and having worked with Fr Harry Bohan on a task force for active citizenship and the annual Ceifin conference, she said she wants to support the spirit of volunteerism.
If elected as president, Ms Davis pledged to do her utmost on the international stage to maximise foreign direct investment for the benefit of the Irish economy.
She cited Burren Connect, the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre, the promotion of Clare as a surfing destination, cycling initiatives in the Burren and the bid to make Clare the friendliest county as examples of great innovation in Clare.
Having grown up in Mayo, she recalled fond memories of travelling to Shannon Airport to meet people coming off of flights and predicted the proposed casino development in Tipperary would boost passenger numbers and visitors to the area.

Responding to questions about a stance he took protesting the use of Shannon Airport by alleged rendition flights, Senator David Norris told the members that he would “not apologise for taking a stand on principle”.
Asked about the presidential salary, Senator Norris said, he did not need a full salary on the basis that he was a single man but explained that he would allocate the funds elsewhere within the role of President.
“In this day and age, the salary is not appropriate. I would set aside a major part of that to make the presidency more effective. I would not send it to Government where it would be lost somewhere in the exchequer,” he said. 
Senator Norris said he realised he is “in the shadow of charges put against me arising from some interviews I have done over the years. The inferences behind these charges I utterly reject…I understand the confusion that has arisen and regret my part in allowing that confusion, but on the issues that I have been charged with, I am clear and my conscience is clear”.
He stated, “As my record will show, my focus has always been on ensuring the marginalised, the oppressed and the isolated are represented and this often means taking on the status quo… My work has forced me on many occasions to challenge the consensus on behalf of those without a voice, but I do not regret any battle I have fought”.

Seán Gallagher, who is partially sighted, recalled how he struggled in school because he couldn’t see the small print due to reading difficulties.
However, at 12, his teacher called him aside and told him he could achieve anything he wanted to once he believed in himself.
His message to the unemployed and people in business was the same – people have to set out their goals and targets and have the necessary self-belief to make it happen through hard work.
In 1979, he set up a youth club near his home in Cavan which facilitated the construction of a football club and community centre, which hosted a party for his mother 20 years later.
“The focus of the last 15 years has been on ‘i’, the next phase has to be about ‘us’. I want to be involved in the change of mindset and a move from the negative to the positive,” he said.
Commenting on his role on Dragon’s Den, he stressed he had much more to offer than just being an entrepreneur.

Patrick Jones from Carlow proposed that the bondholders be burned to save taxpayers millions of euro.
Having met with Social Affairs Minister Joan Burton at the funeral of former Fine Gael leader, Dr Garret Fitzgerald, he said he reminded her about his proposal that social welfare recipients should work 20 hours without pay and 20 hours with pay to get people back to work.
Acknowledging this might be opposed by unions, he claimed unions have lost credibility following the financial irregularities in FÁS.
Mr Jones told councillors he had a long association with Clare since he first arrived as a student to the Burren in 1963, staying at Ballinalacken Castle. In 1996, he had an exhibition in the de Valera Library and from 1985 to 1986, he was a consultant for the Cahercommaun project with UCLA and Earthwatch. Subsequently, he assisted Avril Lady Swinfen with her research for the book Hidden Stones.

Dermot Mulqueen of Steele’s Terrace, Ennis, stated he had put a lot of time into planning what is needed to revitalise the country.
He proposed a new central capital, Eriu, be built on a greenfield site near Moate to promote balanced regional development. He also suggested the Government legally take over the Corrib gasfield and set up a state-owned oil and gas exploration company. He proposed the establishment of an international press agency in Ireland to broadcast positive messages to the international community.