Sean Gallagher with county councillors before yesterday's meeting in Mullingar, from left: Cllr Aengus O'Rourke, Cllr Michael O'Brien, Cllr Ken Glynn, Mayor of Mullingar MD Cllr Bill Collentine and Cllr Paddy Hill.

Gallagher impresses Westmeath's councillors

He may not require it after already securing the four council endorsements needed to run for president, but it looks as if businessman Sean Gallagher is going to get Westmeath County Council’s presidential election nomination.

The Cavan native was the sole prospective presidential candidate to address local councillors yesterday, yesterday (Monday) morning at Áras an Chontae in Mullingar.

In addition to Cllr Michael O’Brien, who has also been vocal in his support of Mr Gallagher’s candidacy, it is believed that he also won the support of the council’s eight Fianna Fáil representatives.

Speaking at Monday’s specially convened meeting, Mr Gallagher said that if elected president he “would work with every fibre of my being to ensure that those on the margins in our society, whether that is geographically, whether that is socially, whether that is economically or emotionally, those on the margins will be the at the very centre and very heart of my presidency”.

He added that he would use the office of president to highlight issues relating to the 900,000 Irish people with disabilities and their families and carers. Referring to his own congenital visual impairment, Mr Gallagher said that he never allowed himself “to be defined by my limitations”.

“If at birth most people can do 10,000 things, well I could only ever do 9,000 because of the visual impairment but I have always lived my life focused on the 9,000 things I could do and not the 1,000 I can’t. That is my message and mantra and one I have repeated in every school and community group and organisation I have had the pleasure of addressing.”

Cllr Una D’Arcy asked him about views on the problems facing Northern Ireland with Brexit looming.

Mr Gallagher (56) said that he believes that there will be a united Ireland in his lifetime and that the people of Northern Ireland should have the right to vote in presidential elections.

Responding to a question from Cllr Mick Dollard about what changes he would like to see introduced when it came to the remit of the president, the businessman said that the work done by former presidents Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson while in office showed what can be done without altering the constitution.

He also stated that he believed the length of term for presidents should be reduced from seven years to five years, with office holders able to serve for a maximum two terms.

While his former colleague on Dragons’ Den and fellow prospective candidate, Gavin Duffy, revealed during his address to the council earlier this month that he would be mortgaging his house to fund his campaign, Mr Gallagher said that his would be funded through combination of his own savings and fundraising. He also stated that he would not be spending any money on plastic posters.
His campaign will be “done frugally” and with a “lot of volunteerism”, he told councillors.

Cllr Ken Glynn wished Mr Gallagher well and said that he liked his “vision” for the presidency. He also asked him how will he try and reach the “ordinary” members of the public who may be disenfranchised.

“I believe what I bring is a balance of having been in business, having worked in community, having been in youth work, having been in agriculture and farming. It's the collective of all those bits together, I think is the uniqueness that I bring,” he told the Fianna Fail man.

Local councillors are set to vote next Monday on whether they will nominate someone to run in the presidential election. Would-be candidates need nominations from four county councils or 20 Oireachtas members to contest the presidential election.