SPECIAL OLYMPICS chief Mary Davis, who has confirmed she is seeking a nomination to contest the presidential election, says the next holder of the office must be active on the international stage.
Ms Davis said she wanted to be an Independent candidate and a “practical” president, and cited her experience in working with governments and business as part of her role as managing director of Special Olympics Europe and Eurasia.
“Ireland needs a strong advocate globally because Ireland has a strong story to tell – in Washington, in Brussels, in London, in Paris, in Berlin,” she said.
“It has never been more important to ensure that the voice of our country is heard by those of influence, never more important to have as president a person who can bring the real story of Ireland to the wider world.
Ms Davis, from Mayo, has written to all local authority members in the State to ask them to support her effort to become an Independent candidate in the upcoming contest, although she did not rule out accepting the support from within the Oireachtas.
Potential candidates require the support of four councils or the backing of 20 members of the Dáil and Seanad, in order to be nominated.
She said she had never been a member of a political party.
Ms Davis said her campaign would be funded “Obama-style” through internet donations and local fundraising activities, and she would be “very much running a grassroots campaign”.
President Mary McAleese appointed Ms Davis to the Council of State, which can advise the President on legislation, in late 2004. She was appointed chairwoman of the Task Force on Active Citizenship in 2006 by then taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
She served as chief executive officer of Special Olympics Ireland and brought the 2003 summer games to Ireland.
She was a special needs teacher at St Michael’s House in Ballymun, Dublin.
Currently on annual leave from her Special Olympics role, she intends to take a leave of absence after fulfilling a number of commitments.
She tendered her resignation from The Irish TimesTrust on Tuesday.
Ms Davis said she did not think gender should be an issue in the presidential election.
“We’ve had eight presidents, six were men and two were women,” she said.
The deportment of Mrs McAleese during the visits of President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth had made many people more proud than ever of “our female President”, she added.
Ms Davis said that if honoured with the position by the people, she would work to counteract “scepticism” about Ireland in other states.
“In addition to building a new belief in what is possible at home, the next president must take a highly active role on the international stage.
“Today, the global community is sceptical about Ireland. For Ireland, this has to change,” Ms Davis said.
