Darragh's Soapbox: Ensuring accountability - councillors' question time for presidential candidates

As presidential candidates entered the Civic Offices in Dungarvan last week, they were met with the majority of Waterford’s 32 councillors for questioning.

The councillors were given 10 minutes to ask each of the candidates whatever they liked, ensuring that the candidates' views and beliefs were well interrogated and examined before deciding who to nominate.

A common question asked by councillors during the meeting was around the power that the president’s office holds.

As candidates spoke in depth about housing, homelessness, immigration and trade, councillors asked: “Is the office of president capable of actually impacting these issues?"

Multiple Sinn Féin councillors asked candidates for their views on a United Ireland.

Cllr Joe Kelly asked candidate Dolores Cahill what she meant when she said she aims to put Irish people and Irish families first.

Cllr Joe O’Riordan, in a follow-up question asked her, “What do you define as an Irish person?” 

Cllr Jim Griffin asked Kieran McCarthy how he would engage with any international ambassador to Ireland who was supporting war crimes in their own country.

Cllr Thomas Phelan asked candidate Keith McGrory if he could see himself welcoming Donald Trump to Ireland.

A number of candidates were asked how they promote the Irish language, and for their views on Ireland’s triple lock.

Some candidates proved more difficult to question than others, however.

Cllr Joeanne Bailey said to candidate Michael Power: "It's very hard to ask you a question, because unfortunately you didn’t send in a manifesto. We have no information about you. 

"I have no question because your job was to send in your information so we could form questions to ask.

"Unfortunately you didn’t do the job you were supposed to do."