Politics watch: Names begin to emerge ahead of presidential election

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Published: Sun 29 Jun 2025, 6:03 PM

Last updated: Sun 29 Jun 2025, 6:34 PM

James Cox

Here, we have a look at the issues likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

Hanafin and Kelly declare presidential intentions

Former minister Mary Hanafin is to seek the Fianna Fáil nomination to contest the presidential election.

The Tipperary native and former Dun Laoighaire TD has told the Irish Independent she is "in the mix".

Ms Hanafin said: "“If I could contest it, I would happily do that. It’s a role I would hope people could feel I would do well, both nationally and internationally."

Fianna Fáil hasn't put forward a candidate for the election since 1997.

The party decided to sit out the 2011 presidential election after a disastrous showing at the general election earlier that year, while in 2018 Fianna Fáil opted not to challenge President Michael D Higgins.

Ms Hanafin, 66, feels sitting out the 2025 presidential election is not an option.

“I think it would be an insult to the office of president if the largest political party doesn’t contest it. It’s a really important constitutional role,” she said.

“I think the nomination should be decided earlier rather than later. I know it can make it a very long campaign, but for a candidate to campaign well I think you could go around the country and actually talk to people."

Ms Hanafin has had a number of disputes with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the past. In 2011, she lost out to Mr Martin in the Fianna Fáil leadership contest, and in 2014 she ignored his request not to stand in the local elections in Blackrock.

However, she said they are now on good terms.

Ms Hanafin served as education minister, arts minister and social protection minister during her time in government.

She is the first big name in Fianna Fáil to make her intention to seek the nomination clear. Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former minister Éamon Ó Cuív and MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú have all been linked with a bid.

Big names have been slow to emerge ahead of the election, but many are likely to set out their stall in the weeks to come given the election must take place by Tuesday, November 11th.

MEP Seán Kelly and former MEP Mairead McGuinness are likely to compete for the Fine Gael nomination.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Mr Kelly said he is considering running but has not yet made up his mind.

He also said an internal contest for the Fine Gael nomination would be a positive.

"Democracies thrive on elections, without elections you can't have democracies. The members like to be able to exercise their franchise," he said.

Sinn Féin has not selected a candidate yet, but Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill has not ruled out a bid.

At a press conference in Co Armagh last week, Ms O'Neill was asked about the possibility of her running in the election.

She replied: "I think I’ve plenty to do, being First Minister. But I would think the fact remains that I could stand for election, I could be elected as Uachtarán na hÉireann, but I can’t vote in that election, so that’s where there’s a deficit and what we need to see is presidential voting rights extended to the North so the Irish citizens in the North can vote.”

Former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood was also linked with a presidential bid. He told the BBC that people had asked him to consider a presidential bid.

“I’m going to take the time to think about it."

Presidential voting rights

Keeping the presidential theme, Sinn Féin are set to table a motion in the Dáil on Tuesday that seeks to extend voting rights to people in the North.

Government at risk of normalising rising homlesssness - Eoin Ó Broin

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin says the Government are at risk of normalising rising numbers of homelessness.

Mr Ó Broin made the comments as it was confirmed that homeless figures have once again risen to record levels, with 15,747 people now in emergency accommodation.

Speaking to em, Mr Ó Broin pointed out that the number of homeless people has increased every month under the current Government.

"Every month since this Government has been in office, the numbers have increased.

"The latest figures for May show increases across every level of homelessness. Adult homelessness, child homelessness, singles, children, families, and pensioners.

AI literacy

Artificial intelligence (AI) learning should go beyond the basics of AI literacy to equip students for the future, according to an Irish expert.

Dr Gearóid Ó Súilleabháin is head of the Department of Technology Enhanced Learning at Munster Technological University (MTU), where he leads the development and management of online and blended programmes, promotes research into the enhancement of teaching and learning through technology, and supports the mainstream use of technology-enhanced learning.

In an interview with , Dr Ó Súilleabháin said AI learning should go beyond the basics to help students get a more complete understanding.

"I think the best we can do is become more AI literate which goes beyond just teaching people how to design the right prompts for these generative AI systems and to help people to kind of understand what these systems are doing, how they're built and some of the ethical issues arising in their use, and in the way that they're now moving towards the mainstream.

"I think that's absolutely critical. We have to go beyond simply giving people instructions and guidelines about how to use this technology. People need to understand where this technology has come from, what's going on in the background.

"I think we need to understand this is just a kind of statistical echo, if you like, of what humans do and it might have the same structure or texture of the kind of responses and products of a human mind."