Presidential Election 2025

Murphy would never have got Labour backing, Quinn would never have got SD backing, Harkin would likely not have got either and hence struggle to 20 Oireachtas members and she's a Junior Minister currently so unlikely to go. Also don't consider her particularly left of centre either…

Finlay and Spring are much too old.

The population density is the biggest factor there I think. Certainly around the world you could see places like New York had far worse outbreaks than more rural locations. Population age spread as well, if you had more older people your deaths per capita were going to be higher.

I doubt it had much to do with our healthcare system capacity. I think we had (and still have) fewer hospital beds than the UK per capita

Nobody in their right mind would argue against the early lockdowns either or the careful re-opening during 2020 but Tony making an early return to NPHET just before Christmas 2020 or his 8pm closures of pubs in December 2021 were completely ridiculous. All they did was serve to instill an unnecessary fear in the people he was meant to help, not exactly what I would expect from a doctor

Trying not to delve too much into the stats from covid but it is generally accepted that he called for too many restrictions at the incorrect time

I don't care he has an OBE. I was asking where did the story that he's looking to run come from…

Does it? From what deep throat did you get that titbit?

In an unrelated matter entirely, it would be fun to have Pamela Anderson as bean chéile Uachtarán na hÉireann.

You're just afraid of his intellect. And so you dismiss him. Insult him even.

Arrogance is defined as displaying an exaggerated sense of one's own abilities or importance. But personally I feel he mostly came across as very self-aware and well pitched as a communicator. And he did have an extraordinary locker of abilities, which he displayed in public all as his wife was dying.

That said, I know he wouldn't have made a good candidate, because I accept he could never have separated himself from his time as CMO. If I criticise him for anything, its that he sits on the board of An Taisce, the meddling eejits.

He couldn't handle what would have been brought up about it and chickened out citing fear of personal abuse. It would have been dirty for sure on social media, but even in honest debate the cervical check scandal would have buried him. The fear of his intellectual scared no one, the fear of what was ahead no intellect could excuse.

Afraid of his intellect! That's hilarious.

Your definition of arrogance above is spot on and Holohan is the living embodiment of it. Absolutely no respect for anyone's opinion apart from his own and doesn't want his actions to be questioned by anyone.

The fact he thought he was a suitable candidate for President is just a further demonstration of his self-importance/delusion.

Indeed he epitomises and is possibly even one of the worst examples of the stereotypical doctor "God complex".

The naked gun fifty five and a fifth - the fianna failures

I cannot think of a more insignificant, bland, cute hoor, zero substance, utterly misogynistic potential candidate than Sean Kelly.

I'm glad he has decided to contest.

He won't win, but it is important that the coverage shifts away from Connolly for a bit, ahead of the real campaign being called. She's had far too much of a clear run in the media over the last few weeks.