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Wednesday 30 May 2018

If a TD thinks an Irish president shouldn't be returned without a vote, why have they not initiated a bill to prevent it?

Michael Fitzmaurice TD says he wants to try and force a presidential election,(I think there should be one too).
Ill stand myself against President Higgins if there is no election insists TD Ocean FM Nialll Delaney 2017

Fitzmaurice says he would contest presidential election to stop President Michael D Higgins getting " a free run" at a second term
Liam Cosgrove 21 Aug 2017

I asked Michael Fitzmaurice TD, "do you think that it should be possible for an Irish President to return to office without an election?"

He replied "I think that should not happen".

I then asked him,

"would you then be sponsoring a bill to to remove Article 12 5° from the constitution?"

Where only one candidate is nominated for the office of President it shall not be necessary to proceed to a ballot for his election.

I received no reply from Michael Fitzmaurice TD.


The Constitutional Convention members made up of 66 citizens and 33 public reps voted on potnetial changes to the length of Presidential term.
Yes
No

Reduce the presidential term to five years
43
57
0

One-term presidency – seven years
44
44
12

One-term presidency – five years
14
78
8


Perhaps limiting it to one 7 or 8 year term would the simplest way to propose to resolve this, whether it would pass through the Oireachtas is another story.

If Michael Fitzmaurice or any other TD feels this strongly about this, why havn't they initiated such a bill.

Reducing or broadening the nomination criteria may be another way to address this without removing the option entirely.

Potential candidate senators can not initiate bills to amend the constitution but they could ask their potential TDs nominators to do so.
Links
Constitutional Convention report on presidential terms
Previous consitutional reviews


Ps Who are these other potential candidates? Who is Dr John McHugh from US / Donegal?



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