Costello - Michael D Higgins as President will do us all proud

7 October 2011

by Cllr Joe Costello

Good morning everybody. It's good to be here in Cork.
I have the honour to assist in this morning's proceedings, which will officially launch the Munster Campaign of Michael D. Higgins for the Office of President of Ireland under the appropriate theme: The President who will do us Proud.
It is a singular honour for me to have been chosen as Michael D.'s Director of Elections. He and I have worked closely together in the Dáil for many years.

The experience of working with Michael D. has always been interesting, because pursuance of his convictions at all times has never, ever, diminished his innate sense of decency and his great sense of humour which, during the late sittings in Leinster House, often rescued us from the excesses of Parliamentary debates!

In my first term in Dáil Eireann Michael D became the first ever Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. His contribution was transformative. He had the foresight to recognise the potential of the creative industries and creative communities in the economic and social development of the State. Singlehandedly he succeeded in moving the Arts from the margins of society to the very centre stage of Government priorities. For Michael D it was never just Art for Arts sake but rather that Art is at the heart of human existence and human endeavour.

As Minister, Michael D.s achievements include the reinvigoration of the Irish film industry, the establishment of Teilifis na Gaeilge, now the highly successful TG4, and the repealing of Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act, which lifted censorship from the airwaves and which enabled the voices of all to be heard.

Michael D is also a feminist and a poet, and has had a life-long commitment to the Irish language. A passionate activist Michael D helped lead the drive for change on issues which we now take for granted such as illegitimacy, contraception, divorce, equality of opportunity and equal pay for women and men, same-sex unions and a rights-based approach to disability. Indeed, when I was involved in prison reform in the 1970s and 1980s Michael D was my greatest supporter.
Internationally, Michael D has travelled to many other parts of the world to highlight human rights and humanitarian concerns, to oppose conflict and to support peace-making.

In 1991 Michael D was awarded the Sean McBride International Peace Prize in recognition of this work. He is also an Honorary Lecturer at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in NUI Galway. So much for the superb candidate which I have the honour of presenting to you here this morning. But what about the election itself?

Michael D has been campaigning long before he received the nomination from the Labour Party on 19 June over three and a half months ago. He has criss-crossed the country on a punishing tour, meeting and greeting people the length and breadth of Ireland. The logistics of the last phase of the campaign are now all in place with leaflets, canvass cards, posters etc. and the Tour Bus outside.

If Michael D is to succeed in the election he needs to retain all of the sizeable vote which the Labour Party obtained in the General Election last February. The two opinion polls which have emerged this week suggest that there is still much work to be done.

Secondly, Michael D can only succeed if he can also attract a wide cross-section of non-Labour votes from all age groups and from all walks of life.

So my plea today is threefold:
1. Firstly, for Labour Voters to come out in droves for a candidate who, if elected, will greatly enhance the country's stature for the future.
2. Secondly, for those in civil society, in NGOs and volunteers who are or have been involved in the many causes championed by Michael D over the decades to give him their vote.
3. Thirdly, for all non-committed or wavering voters to seriously consider giving Michael D their vote on the basis of his sound track record and because of his empathy with those in our society who have been marginalised and forgotten.

If they do vote for Michael D then they will have a President of courage, integrity and vision. A President who will do us all proud.

Go raibh maith agaibh go leir.