Gilmore: Higgins will be president for all
Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore has said the party is proud of Michael D Higgins but stressed he would go on to be an independent president for everyone.
“He attracted support which was much greater than the Labour party has ever got – I think that is a great tribute to him, all the work he has done down the years,” he said.
“This is a president in whom all of the people of Ireland can be proud.”
Mr Gilmore said Seán Gallagher’s plunge in the polls was down to his responses on questions about his business interests and fundraising activities for Fianna Fáil.
“I had always been a bit surprised at the level of showing Sean Gallagher was having in the opinion polls, because the response we were getting in campaigning was much stronger for Michael D Higgins.”
Meanwhile Justice Minister Alan Shatter has again been forced to deny allegations that Fine Gael failed to offer its full support to presidential flop Gay Mitchell.
He said he did not think Mr Mitchell’s defeat had anything to do with the party, saying the presidential election is more about personality than politics.
“It’s a very different election. It’s a personality election,” he said.
“I don’t think this is about the Fine Gael party in any way, shape or form.”
He added: “There was substantial work done by the party across the country on his behalf.”
Mr Shatter added that he did not believe Mr Mitchell’s failing had in any way damaged Fine Gael’s reputation.
