Aontú is not interested in talking to Professor Tony Holohan should he seek nominations from Oireachtas members to enter the presidential election, according to party leader Peadar Tóibín.
A report at the weekend suggested Mr Holohan, who became the public face of the State’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, is preparing to launch a presidential bid.
On Sunday, Mr Holohan told The Irish Times: “I have nothing further to add to this story as yet”.
When contacted again on Wednesday, he said: “I continue to reflect on how I might contribute to public life in the future.”
People wishing to secure a place on the presidential election ballot paper must secure nominations from 20 Oireachtas members or four local authorities.
Mr Tóibín has said Aontú would not be interested in talking to Mr Holohan about nominating him.
He said: “There remains a need for a proper public investigation into the government’s Covid policy.” He mentioned deaths that occurred in nursing homes at the start of the pandemic.
Mr Tóibín also argued that Mr Holohan’s resistance to the use of antigen tests by the public during the pandemic “left society closed for longer than it needed [to be]”.
Asked about Mr Tóibín’s remarks, Mr Holohan said: “I respect the right of any party or public representative to hold their own views, particularly those on matters of public policy.”
He said he understands there are “differing perspectives on how major public health crises are managed”.
“Throughout my career in public service, I’ve always done my utmost to act on the best public health and scientific evidence available, to communicate clearly and honestly and to protect public health and life.
“I was honoured and privileged to have such a role of leadership and responsibility as Chief Medical Officer during the recent pandemic, a time of extraordinary crisis for our nation,” he said.
Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins said at the weekend that his party is open to hearing from Mr Holohan should he seek Oireachtas nominations.
The party, which has four TDs, has not yet formally discussed whether they will back any candidate. It is understood that the party will only consider offering the support to a candidate who has already secured the backing of up to 16 other members of the Oireachtas
Labour is due to decide next week whether or not it will support Catherine Connolly’s candidacy for presidency
On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is “definitely not” going to run as a candidate for presidency.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil will consider a candidate in the coming weeks after taking “soundings” from people within the parliamentary party.
When asked if he had spoken with Deirdre Heenan, a Derry-based Ulster University professor who has been mentioned in some circles to be the party’s candidate, Mr Martin said he had not.
“A lot of names have been floated in association with Fianna Fáil. I’m not responsible for the flotation of any of those names, just to make that very clear. I was elected, you know, I went to the people to say I wanted to serve Cork South Central and I wanted to lead Fianna Fáil into government.
“I made that obligation to the public and that’s the context. No disrespect to the presidency or anything, but I gave commitments to the people that I would serve in Dáil Éireann for the next five years and that is what I’m going to do.”
At the weekend former Fianna Fáil minister Mary Hanafin, who has expressed an interest in running herself, said it would be “an insult” to the office of the presidency if her party does not run a candidate.
Ms Hanafin wrote to members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party earlier this week asking for their support in any party contest for the presidency. She said she believes strongly that the party should contest the election, and that while she dd not know the selection process yet, she wanted to express her interest in contesting the election.
The first declared candidates – former European Commissioner and Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness and Independent TD Catherine Connolly – emerged last week in the battle to succeed President Michael D Higgins.
Independent Ireland is open to talking to former chief medical officer (CMO) Tony Holohanand Irish dancing star Michael Flatley, should they seek nominations from Oireachtas members to enter the race, party leader Michael Collins has said.
