February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
McAleese was deemed elected Friday after the High Court rejected Scallon’s last-ditch appeal to have an election called. Scallon claimed that the rules governing nomination were unfair and that she should be given more time to garner the necessary support to flight an election.
High Court judge Justice Butler rejected an appeal by Cork plumber Harry Rea to have more time granted to Scallon. Rea claimed that the absence of an electoral contest meant Ireland was “under tyranny.” Butler said the rules regarding presidential nominations were clearly laid out in the Irish Constitution.
Scallon claimed that an election could have been set in train had President McAleese “voluntarily” resigned before the end of her term on Nov. 10. Scallon was unable to win sufficient support from either TDs or regional councils in her pursuit of a nomination. She said the political establishment had “stamped” on her efforts to run for president.
In particular, she singled out Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny for preventing Fine Gael councilors from voting for her.
“No political party has the right to stamp on the constitutional right of a councilor,” Scallon said. “I don’t feel anger. I do feel a sense of disappointment that the might of the political establishment was put against those people who were trying desperately to keep the Constitution alive.”
After a brief delay caused by Scallon’s 11th-hour appeal, McAleese accepted her reappointment at the Customs House in Dublin. The two women did not set eyes on each other until it was confirmed that Scallon’s appeal had failed.
President McAleese set out her stall for a second term, highlighting the need to build a multicultural Ireland and to strengthen ties between communities.
“We have transformed our economic landscape beyond recognition,” McAleese said. “Now our challenge is to use those same talents to transform our community to shape the evolution of our society so that it honors the values which have always underpinned our country.”
She said she would devote her second term to helping the work of voluntary community groups.
Scallon’s desperate attempts to win a nomination saw her tour the country in a bid to win the support of local authorities. With the exception of Galway City Council, none of the other councils granted her their support. Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats all supported McAleese’s bid and had instructed local councilors to vote accordingly.
Green South Dublin TD Eamon Ryan had attempted to win support from the Dail, but his campaign collapsed following the Labor Party’s refusal to back him.
McAleese had said previously she was hoping for a proper election. However, she said Friday that she felt she still had an electoral mandate.
“I am the one person who could have done no more to bring about an election,” she said. “I offered myself for election.
“It was in the hands of others if they wanted to contest it. No one did, no one came forward. So I was elected under the terms of the Constitution and I feel that mandate as powerfully today as I did seven years ago.”