Soc Dems to back Connolly for President, O’Callaghan confirms

The Social Democrats will back independent Galway TD Catherine Connolly for President, Cian O’Callaghan has confirmed.

First confirmed in the Galway City Tribune, Connolly announced she will formally announce her bid next week and said in the interview she has the backing of the Social Democrats and People Before Profit/Solidarity.

Connolly said that Sinn Féin and Labour are still carrying out their internal processes.

Connolly told the outlet, “yes, my mind is made up to run. I’ve support from across the spectrum, including the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Solidarity, as well as a number of senators and others.”

“Labour and Sinn Féin are still completing their own internal processes which I fully respect. I’ll be formally launching my campaign next week,” she told the Galway newspaper.

Dublin Bay North TD and acting Social Democrats leader O’Callaghan confirmed this morning, “I’m delighted that Catherine Connolly will be running for president; the Social Democrats will be nominating Catherine and backing her campaign.”

Starting in January, Labour leader Ivana Bacik has been working with the Social Democrats and the Greens about floating a joint left-wing bid for President, with Sinn Féin and People Before Profit/Solidarity joining the talks.

O’Callaghan was quoted as saying that a joint left president ticket should be a broad, civic platform similar to what was seen during Repeal or the same-sex marriage campaign in 2018.

O’Callaghan told the Sunday Independent that his party is “very much open to working with her to get a left, progressive candidate in the field.”

In recent weeks, it has been reported that there are tensions within the grouping, with Sinn Féin and Labour showing clear differences of opinion on who should run.

This week, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald confirmed she was not ruling herself out of the conversation, a flip-flop from her previous position where she stated she would not be running.

The Phoenix has reported in recent weeks that Sinn Féin are considering either running a candidate of their own, backing an agreed upon candidate of the left, or sitting the election out entirely.

While independent Dublin Senator Frances Black was considered the favourite for the joint left bid for a few weeks, she announced in June that it would be unlikely she would be the candidate, paving the way for Connolly.