Higgins Lines-Up For Presidency Race

Long serving Labour TD, Michael Higgins, has again announced his interest to run for the Irish Presidency.

The Labour TD, who is the Party President and Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, is putting himself forward for the second time after being denied the chance to run in 2004.

Speaking today, the Galway West TD said he believes he has the capacity and experience to fulfil the role in a creative and imaginative way.

Mr Higgins first put himself forward seven years ago and says he spent the summer thinking about whether he would seek the Labour nomination this time round. The Labour party dashed his previous attempt by deciding not to put forward any candidate in the 2004 race.

Deputy Higgins said the country needed a discourse about what kind of country we want, the relationship between society and the economy, the rise of individualism and Ireland's role in Europe.

He says one of the central themes of his campaign would be about defining what active citizenship entails.

Last week, the Chief Executive of the Barnardos Charity, Fergus Finlay, announced he would also be seeking the Labour nomination.

Mr Higgins is a former Minister for Arts, Culture, and the Gaeltacht during the late 90s and was first elected to the Dáil in 1981. He has been working as a deputy in the Dáil since 1987 and is a current sitting deputy for Galway West.

He was a senator for the NUI constituency from 1982-1987 and was a taoiseach's nominee to the Seanad between 1973-1977.

Born in Limerick, Mr Higgins and his family moved to County Clare when he was 5 years old. He was educated at University College Galway, Indiana University and Manchester University.

Before entering politics he worked as Statutory Lecturer in Political Science and Sociology at University College Galway, and Visiting Professor at the Southern Illinois University.

(DW/BMcC)