Sean Kelly, Ireland South ME, said there were arguments for and against running for President. Speaking at out lunch on Thursday, 26th June, at the Clarence Hotel in Dublin, the MEP highlighted comments from Ryanair boss Michael O’ Leary who described the presidency as a “makey-uppy job”.
Mr Kelly said while the remarks were “a bit cynical” – and he did not agree with Mr O’Leary’s approach – “the makey-uppy is what I would like because what that actually means is flexibility to look at it and to do a lot of things”.
Mr Kelly has been mulling over a possible run in recent months.
His latest remarks came during a questions-and-answers session at a lunch jointly hosted by the Association and the European Parliament’s Dublin office.
He said he has been asked to run mainly by Fine Gael colleagues but also by people he knows through sport and was “thinking about it”, but noted there were arguments “for and against”.
“It’s obviously the highest honour in Ireland but also it’s a big change of lifestyle,” he said.
“It’s a seven-year commitment, which I think is pretty long. It’s unique, probably in elected politics, to be elected for that long.”
On the qualities he could bring to the job Mr Kelly expressed a reluctance to be “blowing my own trumpet until I have my mind made up”.
“I’d ask those who were asking me to go forward, what do they see in me that might make me a good president?”
(Irish Times)
