Former government minister Mary Hanafin has expressed that she would love the chance to run for President as a Fianna Fáil candidate, reports RTE.
“I would like to bring 30 years of public service, at local and national level, to the job,” she said.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Brendan O’Connor show, Ms Hanafin also said she knows the constitutional nature of the role, reports RTE.
She said that each recent President has expanded the role’s scope in a positive way but stressed this must happen within constitutional limits.
“I also have a very strong belief and faith in the welfare of the people in this country and the communities around the country that I have worked with over the years, and I would like to continue that,” she said, reports RTE.
Ms Hanafin remarked that past presidential contests have often turned nasty.
“However all my mistakes are well known and well documented,” she said, reports RTE.
She mentioned she has discussed her presidential hopes with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, saying he listened but gave no promises.
“The Taoiseach knows me well and knows my record in government,” she added, reports RTE.
“I would like Fianna Fáil to run a candidate but ultimately the decision is his to make,” she said, reports RTE.
Earlier this week, broadcaster Joe Duffy said he has not been asked to run in the upcoming presidential election, reports RTE.
He declined to answer directly when questioned about ruling out a possible run.
“I had no idea when I chose today to leave that there would be lots of presidential talk in the air,” he said, reports RTE.
“I was president of Trinity students union, I still have the posters. I was president of the USI, I still have the posters, but my face has changed a lot, maybe my intellect isn’t as strong as it used to be. There’s some great candidates already been mentioned [for the election], and by the way there was some great candidates before who didn’t make it and that’s the world we live in,” reports RTE.
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