'Congrats to Catherine Connolly - but here's why I wouldn't be losing the run of myself just yet'
'The Left have a lot to do to convince the country that they are fit for office and capable of governing this island together'
Congratulations to our new President elect Catherine Connolly and her weekend landslide victory.
I have no doubt the people of Ireland will unite behind her when she takes office and she will, as she says herself, be a President for all the people.
It was a great day for the Left and shows what can be achieved when Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats, Labour and People Before Profit work together.
But if I was them I wouldn't be losing the run of myself just yet. They have a lot to do to convince the country that they are fit for office and capable of governing this island together.
There were people in middle class areas across Dublin voting for Connolly who will never in a month of Sundays vote for People Before Profit in a General Election.
That is the task facing a united Left, convincing the silent majority of middle Ireland that they have the policies, the political determination, and will to make Ireland a better place without wrecking the economy like Labour has in Britain.
They want to drop any notion of a wealth tax and that they don't punish the people who get up early in the mornings and pay the vast bulk of the tax that keeps Ireland going.
They need to forget about rewarding the dole sponging layabouts who've never done a day's work in their lives yet can go drinking and gambling every day.
The Presidential election definitely sent a message to this Fianna Fail/Fine Gael and Independents backed Government that voters are not happy with them.
They have not been impressed with their first year in office but more importantly are furious with the way FF/FG arrogantly stopped other candidates like Maria Steen standing for the Aras.
The fall out from the election threatens to be really bad for Simon Harris and his Fine Gael party. Their candidate Heather Humphreys did her best but her party ran a shocking campaign and voters never got to really know the real Heather.
Simon Harris made a huge mistake by forcing her nomination through without a convention and deliberately stopping the former GAA President Sean Kelly from running.
I'm not saying Kelly would have won but he certainly would have made it a closely fought race against Catherine Connolly.
Harris has now fought two elections, a General and Presidential election and the results have been extremely bad for both him personally and his party.
It is now clear voters have severe Fine Gael fatigue with the party over 14-1 years in office.
The parliamentary party might decide in the coming months that it is time to ditch Harris before he gets the chance to become Taoiseach again in late 2027 as part of his coalition deal with Micheal Martin.
They might opt for a fresh face such as Jennifer McNeil who seems to have what it takes to lead her party into the next decade.
She is already making an impact in the dysfunctional Department of Health and is regarded as someone who does not make silly sound bites for the sake of it and gets things done.
I suspect the Tanaiste will be looking over his shoulder in the weeks and months ahead.
There is no doubt that the Presidential race was also a disaster for Fianna Fail. The big masterstroke of getting former Dublin manager Jim Gavin as a candidate backfired spectacularly.
Who would have guessed that he owed a former tenant over 3,000 euros from over a decade ago and that the failure to repay the money would come back to haunt him.
Gavin's withdrawal from the election was the biggest bombshell of the campaign.
It was a major embarrassment to Micheal Martin and his sidekick Jack Chambers.
It is also still unclear if his Fianna Fail backbenchers will forgive the Taoiseach for his mess and allow him finish his three years term as prime minister.
He is facing a minor rebellion at the moment and if he is not careful it could spread.
I suspect they will have a new leader probably Jim O’Callaghan to lead lead them into the next election .
Micheal Martin has also been around so long that voters are getting bored with him as well. Sorting out the housing crisis is the only thing that can save his bacon in Fianna Fail.
The country has now put another person in the Aras who will challenge the Government when they need to and speak their mind. The Cabinet might not like it but that is the type of President the people want.
I have no doubt that Catherine Connolly will make her country proud.
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