Presidential Election.

I think the 4 independent ireland folks can get her over the line today, surely she's a cert with them?

So you think it's perfectly acceptable for Simon Harris to basically threaten any FG senator or counselor should they decide to facilitate anyone else on the ballot. There is absolutely no good reason to keep Maria Steen off the ballot, other than FF and FG thinking they should have a monopoly on who should be president

If she gets 20 Oireachtas members, fair play, that shows the support is there. 

No it doesn't.

She may well have more support to run if someone hadn't a threat hanging over them.

A candidate only needs support to run in the election from a CC, they are not asking for someone's vote in the election.

What makes you think SF are immune from criticism here blanch? Your bias?

Because SF and a hard left party. There's an awful lot of people who's views will have absolutely no representation on the ballot and that is very wrong imo.

Stop trying to put words in my mouth, despite vehemently disagreeing with her views I never have claimed that is a reason to keep her off the ballot.

The simple fact is she is yet to earn a position on the ballot by using the clear and plain rules that have existed for nearly 100 years now. If she gets the 20 nominations well done to her but she hasn't yet despite EVERYONE knowing the election was coming and what would be required to get nominated, yet herself, toibin, the rest of Iona, et al made no mention of it during either of the last 2 elections where if their claims about their support levels are true they should have easily been able to meet the requirements for a nomination if they had pushed this argument in those elections.

I’m probably more interested in hearing people’s views around her impact on the election if she does get on the ballot.

My own view is- a very narrow and specific voter support out there for her - she could very much take votes away from HH - and she’s the sort of candidate who’s voters will just pick her as #1 and won’t transfer to anyone else- thus further denying votes to HH.

If they don't transfer to HH after giving Steen first preference they were very unlikely to be voting for HH if Steen wasn't on the ballot.

Hold on, so what you're proposing is if the likes of Gareth Sheridan thinks "maybe I'll run for president in 18 months time", to do so they should start their own political party or political alliance and try and win a majority in at least 4 local councils or pick up 20 TD's in the general election that followed ?

Considering the President is neutral once elected and not supposed to get involved in Parliamentary politics (bar finding a bill unconstitutional etc), that seems an incredible effort.

I mean Fine Gael even looked for Jim Gavin to run for them during the European elections, and Heather Humphreys is only here due to Mairead McGuiness' poor health, so the expectation on an individual candidate to have more insight than the main political parties of the country to get support in local and general elections for the purpose of getting on the presidential ballot (as opposed to improving local and national politics) seems insane.

To be honest none of the candidates have done this, we've just got close to the time and some have realised they might have a shot, so have gone for it.

How is it 'clear' that the public want the constitution to be changed?

The Last thing we need is 40 names on the list to be president? The work the councils do weeding out the egos and quacks should be applauded.

All he’s done is draw negative attention to himself. A more seasoned campaigner would have dismissed any flak as it arrived, not draw everyone’s attention to it. Hurty words/false accusations. All the same in politics, it happens every day, and nobody holds a press conference.