Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell has questioned the credentials of fellow presidential hopeful Seán Gallagher, whom he said appears to be applying for the job of Minister for Jobs and Innovation rather than the presidency.
Mr Mitchell's attack on his rival came after the latest opinion poll showed support for the Fine Gael candidate slumping to 8 per cent.
Speaking on RTÉ radio this morning, Mr Mitchell dismissed the poll result, claiming volatility was the “guiding principle in these polls”.
“I don’t want to rubbish the people who took the poll. I’m sure they are findings they got but you have to compare it with the same situation in the last presidential election when the front runner on 38 per cent ended up with less than 7 per cent,” he said.
“The poll tells me that any candidate can go up 19 per cent in one poll. Polls don’t operate like that. It is just not credible in terms of political poll taking. I’ve been speaking to friends this morning who’ve said they haven’t made their minds up yet. In the presidential election, 40 per cent of people made their minds up in the last week. Hand on heart, I do not believe the polls will be the same as emerges on Thursday week.
He said Mr Gallagher, who is well ahead in the polls, seemed to be applying for the job of Minister for Jobs and Innovation rather than that of president.
“Seán Gallagher is not going to be Minister for Innovation and jobs. That is the problem. The job is a different job to the one Sean is applying for. This is a political job.”
He said people were looking for a president with experience, not someone who would be “learning on the job”.
“The role the president can play is one of influence, to help bring about that confidence in the country. My reason for going for president is that I have vast experience as a politician.
"It’s a political job. I travelled with Mary Robinson abroad more than any other minister. I know this job. I want to contribute to the recovery of my country. I believe I am the best qualified person to do that,” he said.
He denied he had been confrontational during the campaign, saying asking someone about their claim not to be a member of the IRA was part of “normal debate”.
Meanwhile, Senator David Norris has described himself as the only true “24 carat” independent candidate.
“While other candidates may wear the badge of independence for political gain, I am the only one who has never been a member of a political party, never been appointed to a State board or never had my political campaigns backed by those with vested interests,” he said.
He said Mr Gallagher was on the Fianna Fáil national executive until recently and, in a swipe at Independent candidate Mary Davis, said he had never served on any boards.
In an attack on last week’s Keane report on the mortgage debt crisis, Mr Norris said it represented a betrayal of the people of Ireland.
“We are beginning to see evictions again in Ireland,” he said. “This is what the Land League fought against, this is what the United Irishmen fought against, this is what the people of 1916 fought against and yet we have our own Government assisting in the process of eviction at the direction of outside financial interests.”
Additional reporting: PA