THE CANDIDATE WHO will be unveiled at the weekend as Sinn Féin’s choice for the Presidency has “a lot of Irish”, Mary Lou McDonald revealed this week at the Ploughing Competition.

Speaking to RTÉ RnaG’s Tús Áite reporter about her understanding of the issue of whether the President should speak Irish, McDonald had this to say:

It’s better if the President has Irish but the most important thing is that the President has an interest in Irish, that’s the most important thing in my opinion.

Responding to the question of whether the candidate Sinn Féin would be choosing or supporting had Irish, McDonald said that the candidate had “a lot of Irish”.

The statement fuelled speculation that Sinn Féin would support the Galway West MP, Catherine Connolly, who is standing as an independent candidate with the support of the Social Democrats, the Labour Party and People Before Profit, but it has led to speculation that the president of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Jarlath Burns, would be chosen as the party’s candidate.

Burns dismissed the speculation and told The Journal that he had been approached to put his name forward but explained that he did not want to go forward.

Another name being mentioned as a possible candidate for Sinn Féin is the party’s finance spokesman, Piaras Ó Dochartaigh. Dochartaigh is originally from Gaoth Dobhair in the Donegal Gaeltacht and has been mentioned several times for this opportunity but it is possible that his departure would leave too large a gap on the party’s front bench.

The Irish language is certainly more central to this election than it has been in previous Presidential elections. All the nominated candidates have answered questions from the media about their Irish language skills.

Fianna Fáil’s chosen candidate Jim Gavin said he was positive about the Irish language, that he had attended summer courses in his youth and that he had a ‘cúpla focal’.

Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys has said she would learn Irish if elected. Gareth Sheridan, an independent candidate who has received the support of County Councils in Kerry and Tipperary, has indicated that he is taking Irish language classes.

The skills of Maria Steen, another independent candidate who is seeking the support of members of the Oireachtas, are unknown.

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TG4 boss Deirdre Ní Choistín has revealed that the station will not be holding a debate between the candidates this year. There was a debate between the candidates in 2011 – although there was only one fluent Irish speaker among them – Michael D. Higgins.

Catherine Connolly questioned the decision by the Irish language broadcaster.

It is strange that TG4 would have decided not to hold a debate, especially when not all the candidates have yet been nominated.

As far as Conradh na Gaeilge is concerned, not holding a debate is a “missed opportunity”.

If Sinn Féin chooses an Irish-speaking candidate from the party, TG4 will come under pressure reconsider its decision about the debate.

The Journal’s Gaeltacht initiative is supported by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme