Fairer System needed for the election of Irish state President

louth | politics / elections | opinion/analysis

Thursday October 07, 2004 12:12

by Henry Mc Greath

Drogheda

We need for fairer system for the elecion of a President if this office is an office of the people. This involeves making some change in the constitution

Fairer system needed for election of president of Ireland

The democratic system is a farce when it comes to electing a President of Ireland. It all boils down to power, LSD and cash in the arse pocket. There are many good and able people out there who could fulfil this prestigious position well but are constrained by not having the finance to fund a campaign. I feel there should be free aid available to candidates who have not got the means to get nominated.

Belfast man Liam Sheppard has done more good things in Belfast than Mrs Mary Mc Aleese and came from working class background like Mary. Mr Sheppard was the first man to bring in the black taxis to the city and also the main instigator in getting food and accommodations for the many who had to run from the North due to the troubles. "Sheppard's Pass " in West Belfast is called after Liam. Liam Sheppard was not paid for his works where Mary Mc Aleese would have had a large salary for her toils in both sides of the Irish divide.

Other good choices would include Jerry Adams, Dr Paisley, Big Tom, Rosemary Scallon, Dermot Ahern, Seamus Kirk, Arthur Morgan, John Hanlon, Gay Byrne, Nell Mc Caffrey and many more. In the wider Ireland we have a vast wealth of talent that is trapped due to the Irish constitution that we are compelled by law to abide by. Every County in Ireland should have the privilege of electing a candidate for the office of President! Good talent should not be allowed to decay on the sidelines. If a person of average intelligence from outside of Ireland were to analyse the set up they would see there is something very immature within the structural system that elects a President.

The constitution needs to be changes as to allow a fairer system where say like in football you start electing candidates at local level then move on to county level, Provincial level and then the Finale.

If the president is supposed to represent the people at all times people should have a chance of electing their president. Candidates should be allowed equal publicity like say a documentary portrays on TV whether they can have means or not.

Furthermore, the salary of the president should be vastly reduced so as it does not become a home for ailing suckers or suckers for the political parties. A job for the boys as the phrase goes needs to be done away with.

Structural changes are needed and the agents within that structure need to be the local candidates who can go forward from say each County of Ireland.

Henry Mc Greath

save preference

Comments (8 of 8)

Beam me up

by Archbishop Hynes

Mon Oct 11, 2004 13:46

Yes I agree we are now ruled via EC. Where we go from there is a point for further consideration. A governor like the USA may e next on the cards for EC countries. President could become totally redundant.

by Klingon

Sun Oct 10, 2004 17:22

Seamas T. Kirk would not get too excited. Being used to meeting all kinds of aliens face to face he would take it in his stride and would not get as steamed up as Paisley does, or as Liam Sheppard did above while responding to TT more or less demanding a showdown. Not sure if either of them is the type of person suitable for such an office.
Seriously though, I doubt if we need a president since we have abandoned our independence and are now ruled by Brussels anyway.

Erm...

by Rob

Sun Oct 10, 2004 13:11

Dr. Paisley? Sure that's a good idea? Do we really want a president who can get even more over-excited than Bush? :) (Ditto for Dana)

inane comment by TT

by Edna Murray

Fri Oct 08, 2004 13:26

I think that this is deplorable such a comment coming from TT Mr Sheppard made "inane comment". Liam Sheppard has done many good things in his time in both Belfast and in Dublin. Both protestants and catholics have a lot to be thankful for the life of Liam.

Edna

inane comments gospel of TT

by Liam Sheppard

Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:57

Dublin

i challenge inane comments and would love to meet you face to face and you say that to me.

Liam

Ref: inane comments

Thu Oct 07, 2004 19:52

Yes TT the way our president is chosen is inane. It is a great joke! But no joke for the one with the golden spoon in the mouth who gets to the Park while many small business folk are literally busting their arse to survive.

I am happy I stirred your interest by mis spelling words.

Presidency

by PrezWatch

Thu Oct 07, 2004 16:56

The presidency is a position that is reserved for the bourgeois establishment. The Irish state do not want a real open electoral process in case some anti establishment pro working class candidate got elected. If this happened who would be there to step in an 'democratically' dissolve any 'troublesome government or step in in moment of 'crisis'.

The Presidency is a sham, we should cal for it's abolition not for it to be more open

???

by TT

Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:45

Good point, but I think this is a leg-pull. I never heard of Sheppard until he started posting inane comments here a few days ago. If it were genuine you would not have suggested Paisley as a possible candidate, and you would have taken more care to have spelt the names of three of the possible candidates correctly.

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

The Saker

Public Inquiry

Human Rights in Ireland

Lockdown Skeptics

Fairer System needed for the election of Irish state President

Comments (8 of 8)