Retiring Barnardo’s boss hints at Áras run

FERGUS Finlay has not ruled out a run for the presidency after quietly announcing his retirement from the children’s charity, Barnardo’s.

Mr Finlay, who has been Barnado’s CEO since 2005, has said that he intends to retire later in the year once his successor is chosen. Applications for the position are now open.

He previously sought the Labour nomination for the presidency in 2011, but missed out to eventual winner, Michael D Higgins.

When asked whether he would consider running for the presidency, Mr Finlay said: ‘the honest answer to that is, if there was a vacancy, I’d think about it. I don’t think there will be a vacancy,’ adding that he would not run against President Higgins.

Bookies are currently putting odds of 8/1 on Mr Finlay to be the next President, the same odds as former taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and EU Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly. Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail about his retirement, Mr Finlay, said children today faced pressures in areas he never foresaw when he first took the role 13 years ago, areas including the internet, homelessness, and the impact of sexism.

When asked about his proudest moment at the Barnardo’s helm, Mr Finlay said it was the way the charity delt with the financial crisis. He said: ‘Despite the squeeze... on our resources and despite the tough times that we went through as an organisation, we came out of it strong, and without having let anyone down.’