Áras hopefuls launch charm offensive

PROSPECTIVE candidates for the presidency have made their pitches to councillors in Waterford.

Waterford County Council is the first local authority to hear from prospective candidates but is unlikely to make a decision on nominating anyone until next month.

Pieta House founder Joan Freeman, Dragons’ Den star Gavin Duffy and retired Aer Lingus worker Patrick Feeney spoke to councillors yesterday.

Senator Freeman said her presidency would be based on the themes of wellbeing, initiative and justice.

She said: ‘In this country, some people are more equal than others.’

The senator said ‘officialdom’ has shown little respect to the vulnerable such as the women affected by the cervical test scandal, families in homelessness, and mothers whose children were sold into adoption.

Mr Duffy told the meeting his ‘vision for the presidency’ is to represent the people of Ireland and be their voice at home and abroad. He said. ‘I want to inspire us to bring out the best in all of us to achieve our potential.’

Later, Mr Duffy told reporters he would be ‘different than Trump’ if elected president, saying: ‘I am not an admirer of Donald Trump as [US] president and I am less an admirer of him as a businessman.’

Retired Aer Lingus worker Mr Feeney, from Galway, said he wants a nomination ‘as a challenge for democracy against what’s going on at the moment around politics’.