Businessman Delehanty cites Kemi Badenoch during presidential pitch

An independent hopeful for the Irish presidency has cited the leader of the UK Conservative Party’s views on “multiculturalism” at a campaign media event.

Nick Delehanty, who described himself as a Danish-style social democrat and “free-speech maximalist”, held a media event for his campaign on Tuesday.

Mr Delehanty referred to comments made by Kemi Badenoch on the importance of a “shared culture”.

After writing that “not all cultures are equally valid”, the Tory leader said she believed the UK should make sure it continues to abide by Western values and added that a “shared culture and a shared identity” was necessary for a well-integrated society, while also accepting the country was “multi-ethnic”.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Delehanty said: “She doesn’t believe – and I agree with this – in multiculturalism.

“Because there should be one culture, a culture that most people sign up to in a country that everyone agrees upon and that’s what we’re about.

“But then she believes and I believe in multi-ethnicity, and it’s good to tease those things out.

“So, it’s good to have an Irish culture and celebrate Irish culture, and be proud to be Irish.”

Making his “pitch” for the presidency at a virtual golf venue in Dublin city centre aptly called Pitch, Mr Delehanty also raised the prospect of a president potentially refusing to dissolve the Dail as part of a rotating taoiseach arrangement.

The current coalition repeated an arrangement from the previous Government which saw Fine Gael and Fianna Fail agreeing to split the term of the top job in a “rotating taoiseach” deal

Mr Delehanty said: “The rotating taoiseach agreement is not a constitutional agreement, it is a political agreement.”

He said the pact was “bizarre” and had led to a “political crisis” wherein the leadership role of taoiseach had been devalued.

He added: “The taoiseach has the ability to come to the president of the day and ask to dissolve the Dail – the president has the ability to refuse that request.”

Mr Delehanty noted this had never happened but said there was a need for “an independent president” to make a decision on the matter.

The presidential hopeful also provided reporters with some background information on his life: “I gave up a career in law, 10 years almost working in law, to dedicate my life to public life, to public service in whatever capacity it comes.

“Today, I run a small business. I raise a small family and I’m a firm member of ‘generation rent’.

“I grew up in a pig farm in Tipperary, I now live in Ringsend, and behind me, coming next, is a wave of young people who I represent who feel that the social contract has been broken.”

Mr Delehanty said article 9.3 of the constitution – which deals with “fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State” – was at the core of his campaign.

He said he believes his path to the ballot paper is through a nomination from local authortiies, but added that he is “realistic” about his prospects.

However, he said he had to “put the cart before the horse in many ways” to start his campaign without a formal nomination.

“After talking to a lot of councillors, we’re confident there is a path.”

Mr Delehanty noted that the role of president is largely ceremonial, going on to say it has among the least amount of executive power in the world.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t know. I genuinely don’t know, but I think we should talk about it.”

He said he was “not a man of means”, nor a “tycoon” or “millionaire”, but his campaign had been supported through a GoFundMe which had raised almost 28,000 euro by Tuesday evening.

Mr Delehanty said he is not seeking to “go viral”, having already received significant online attention during previous electoral contests – particularly for his research on private providers of international protection accommodation.

He said it was “fair criticism” to note that he did not succeed in previous campaigns in last year’s local and general elections.

However, he said he believed there was a proportion of the population that were not being served by the expected candidates in the race.

“We don’t know if we’re going to get on the ballot. I will say this, if we get on the ballot, I won’t come last.”

He said the threshold to run for president was “onerous”, but that the office was “serious” and required some “checks and balances”.