Sinn Féin candidate for the presidency Martin McGuinness has called for the vote in Irish presidential elections to be extended to Irish citizens north of the Border.
“The northern counties have as much interest in this election as anybody else even though they don’t have the vote. That is a very important campaign which I think all of the parties here in the south need to consider in the context of the next presidential election after this one,” he said.
Mr McGuinness also challenged what he said were "west Brit" elements of the media. "There are west Brit elements in Dublin, some of them are attached to some sections of the media, others are attached to political parties and were formerly attached to political parties, and I say to all of them: I go forward on my record, and my record as a peacemaker, I think, is unequalled," he told Newstalk radio.
Mr McGuinness later said his "west Brit" comments were "off the cuff" remarks.
Speaking at the 80th National Ploughing Championships, which began this morning in Athy, Co Kildare, Mr McGuinness also found fault with the difficulty some hopeful candidates were having in securing a nomination.
He said the current nomination process was “a big challenge”, adding that candidates who wished to be included on the ballot paper should not have to pass such rigorous requirements.
When asked about the recent entry of Dana Rosemary Scallon to the race, Mr McGuinness said that he supported “all those that wish to contest the election, and I think that life needs to be made easier for people that wish to contest the election”.
The former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, who temporarily stepped down from that post at midnight last night to fight the Irish presidential election, described the public’s reaction to his candidacy as “fantastic”.
He said a number of people from the unionist community had expressed their support as did many wellwishers in Croke Park on Sunday following the All-Ireland football final, which Mr McGuinness attended. “I couldn’t get away from people after the match coming up to me and wishing me all the best,” he said.
Mr McGuinness was once again asked about his past involvement with the IRA, which has already become an emerging theme from the early days of his presidential campaign.
“I’ve never hidden my involvement in the IRA,” he responded. “Both the British army and the RUC murdered people in my city before the IRA fired a shot, and I was part of a young generation that decided to stand against them in the Bogside, in Free Derry, and we did stand against them and I make no apologies for that.
“But I do think that when people examine my life and my role in Irish politics they need to examine it in the round.
“I’ve been to Iraq, I’ve been to Baghdad, I’ve been to Sri Lanka, I’ve been to the Basque country. I wouldn’t be asked to go to these places if people didn’t think I was an absolutely genuine peace maker who has a contribution to make to outlining our vision of how we go forward in Ireland.”
The Sinn Féin candidate added: "If people want to examine the past, then let’s examine the past of everybody [in the race for the presidency]. I’m not going to get into recriminating about the past."
Additional reporting PA