The type of sharp attack made by senior Fine Gael figures on Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness were to be expected in an election campaign, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said, but he personally would not be criticising any of the presidential candidates.
At the official launch of the campaign of Fine Gael presidential contender Gay Mitchell, Mr Kenny was repeatedly asked for his response to weekend comments by Environment Minister Phil Hogan and Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe.
Mr Hogan had said the election of a “former terrorist” to Áras an Uachtaráin would jeopardise foreign investment and Mr Kehoe said on www.twitter.com that the Sinn Féin candidate had the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery of 2004 at his disposal.
Pressed as to whether he supported their views, the Taoiseach said that, “in every election campaign, you are going to have comments [made] by people in the heat of battle, these are electoral comments” but he was personally focusing on Mr Mitchell and his credentials.
Asked if he believed Mr McGuinness was a “terrorist”, the Taoiseach said: “I will not comment on any candidate in this campaign except the Fine Gael candidate, Gay Mitchell.”
Asked if he would encourage his ministers to refrain from such attacks on other candidates, he said: “The Taoiseach of the day has to have a particular relationship with the Uachtarán who is elected by the people.”
He added that, “members of all parties campaign in their own ways in respect of their individual candidates”.
Speaking at the launch in the Trinity College Science Gallery, Mr Mitchell said the next President should have “overall responsibility for the planning and organisation” of the 1916 centenary commemorations in five years’ time.
He said the commemorations “must be sensitive, sophisticated and inclusive of all the traditions on the island of Ireland”.
He added: “I would use my national and international know-how to work with the Government of the day, to create a commemoration that is truly inclusive.”
He again highlighted his personal background, how he was the youngest of nine children when his father died and his mother had to work as a cleaner to support her large family.
He said the next Presidency should reflect his mother’s qualities of “being steady, reliable, honest, hardworking, interested in others”.
He pledged to use the Presidency to assist organisations combating suicide whihe he described as “a horror that stalks this land” and was claiming about 600 people a year.