COMMENT: Presidential contest would be healthier for democracy

MOST people will agree that Michael D Higgins has done a great job as President and, along with his wife Sabina, has been a fine ambassador for our country when travelling abroad.

President Higgins was an outstanding statesman during the 1916 Centenary celebrations and despite his office being above politics, he has not shied away from commenting on the social injustices still prevalent in Irish society, such as homelessness, poverty and inequality. He continues to be a proud champion of Irish arts and culture wherever he goes.

As his seven years in Áras an Uachtaráin draw to a close, Mr Higgins is yet to declare if he wishes to seek a second term. He may have originally vowed to be a one-term President, but clearly he has enjoyed the role and his silence has led to suggestions that he would like to run again.

Impressive as he has been in the job, my feeling is that he should not have a clear run for the office should he throw his hat into the ring again. An election contest would make for a healthier democracy and I suspect that even President Higgins would agree with this sentiment.

It’s already apparent that he won’t be able to run uncontested, with Independent senator Gerard Craughwell planning a bid for the park. RTÉ broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan recently ended months of speculation by ruling herself out of a run for the presidency.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern – once the most effective vote-getters of them all – has also hinted that he might consider contesting a presidential election, a prospect far more likely if Higgins leaves the pitch.

And last week we had former Labour Party spin doctor, Fergus Finlay, admitting he would be interested in running – but only in the absence of Higgins as a candidate. Finlay, who also announced that he would be stepping down as chief executive of Barnardos, would be an excellent candidate, in my view, given his advocacy work on behalf of the children’s charity.

Needless to say, if there is a full-blown election, there will be a few more high-profile celebrity candidates thrown into the mix, drawn from the worlds of sport, entertainment and media.

Mr Higgins should make his intentions known sooner rather than later to allow prospective candidates time to prepare for the difficult selection process. While other candidates won’t savour the prospect of running against such a popular incumbent President, they fully deserve the right to do so.