Duffy says wide choice of candidates desirable as Gallagher enters presidential race

Never one to miss a trick, Dragon's Den investor Gavin Duffy has issued a statement following his fellow Dragon, Sean Gallagher's entry in to the 2018 presidential election race this morning.

"I note the announcement by Seán Gallagher of his intention to seek the required four county council nominations to qualify as a candidate for the presidency," Mr Duffy says.  "It is desirable that councillors – and ultimately, the people – have a wide choice from which to select their nominee."

He continued: "The constitutional provision for councillors to nominate a candidate to contest the presidency is a valuable cornerstone of our democracy. I look forward in the coming weeks, now that the nomination period has been finally outlined, to meeting and making presentations with all candidates who have chosen to seek nominations through the county council process.  Councillors play a valuable role in local democracy and have been entrusted with the task also of assessing and evaluating potential presidential candidates.

"So far, I have attended and addressed five special meetings of county councils and I will speak to a sixth, Kilkenny, on Friday. I will attend further meetings next Monday. I am greatly encouraged by the warmth of the reception I am receiving from Councillors as well as the interest they have shown in my ideas. But I take nothing for granted.

"I am setting out for the councillors – and for the people - my ideas on how I can work as an innovative and dynamic president for the next seven years, while still recognising and fully respecting the constitutional limitations on the office of president."

While Mr Duffy noted the entry of Mr Gallagher, note he didn't welcome it!