Tony Holohan cites ‘duty as father’ after ruling out presidential bid

Dr Tony Holohan has cited concerns over the potential impact on his friends and family as he ruled himself out of contention for the role of president.

The former chief medical officer, who held a key role in steering the country’s response to Covid-19, said he believed he did have a “pathway” to securing a nomination to run.

However, Dr Holohan said he had a responsibility and a duty to think of his family who he said may have been exposed to what he described as unfair criticism due to his past professional life.

On Monday, he told RTE’s News At One that he had “kicked the tyres fully” when considering whether to proceed with seeking a nomination.

“I entertained the possibility that this might be something that was worth thinking about for me, and I decided that I should give it careful and due consideration.”

He added: “It was a balanced consideration across a lot of different criteria.

“Among those that weighed heavily on me were some of my own personal experiences and the family experiences we’ve had.”

As a high-profile role decision-maker during Covid-19, Dr Holohan was a figurehead for critics of the pandemic response, with his family home targeted by protests.

He has also been criticised for his handling of the CervicalCheck scandal, in which centred around women not being informed about audits of their previous smear tests.

“I had a role that was a prominent one.

“You don’t get to have a prominent role in public life without having people who will have a variety of different opinions on that and find ways of making those opinions known.

“Sometimes that strayed into areas that, for me, would have been unacceptable.

“I’ve had protests outside my house during the course of Covid that weighed heavily on my children.

“You’ll be aware that over the course of Covid, my wife was ill and died.

“I’ve had people put comments on social media that they’re glad and using much more colourful language than that.”

Dr Holohan also recalled a moment he felt “fearful” while he was alone and confronted in a park, adding there were “upsetting” moments for his children and neighbours when people demonstrated outside his home.

He said the consideration for his family was just one of several factors in his decision to step away from the process.

“I have confidence in my own ability to explain and to defend issues that I’ve been involved in the past during my professional role.

“But other people in my family don’t have that capacity, they don’t have the insights, they don’t have the experience.

“They hear the self same criticism, some of which is balanced and fair, much of it is not, and it has a bearing on them and I have a duty and a responsibility as a father, as a husband, as a family member to think not just of my own interests, but those of my family in a balanced way.”

Elsewhere in the race, momentum is gathering behind former Fine Gael deputy leader Heather Humphreys as the party’s potential candidate for Aras an Uachtarain.

It comes after Mairead McGuinness withdrew from the race on health grounds weeks after securing the party’s backing.

Party MEP Sean Kelly is also considering seeking whether he will enter the contest to be Fine Gael’s next candidate.

Fine Gael will consider its option through a meeting of its executive council.

Meanwhile, independent TD Catherine Connolly has secured the backing of Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and a range of other independents.

Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein have yet to decide if they will field a candidate.

Nutriband entrepreneur Gareth Sheridan, mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, and Riverdance star Michael Flatley are among other hopefuls seeking a nomination.

A presidential election is expected towards the end of October, as it must take place in the 60 days before the term of Michael D Higgins ends on November 11.

To be eligible to run, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older.

They must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas or at least four local authorities.

Former or retiring presidents can nominate themselves.