PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MICHAEL D Higgins has said that he doesn’t see the age difference between he and fellow candidate Seán Gallagher as an issue.
Higgins tops a poll of 500 people in today’s Sunday Independent who were asked who they would give their first preference votes to. Higgins gained 36 per cent of the vote, with Gallagher in second on 29 per cent.
A Sunday Business Post poll meanwhile put Seán Gallagher in the top spot, with 39 per cent of the support.
Speaking on today’s This Week programme on RTÉ Radio One Higgins moved to dismiss paying too much attention to the polls, saying there was a “lot of volatility” in them.
Higgins also said that he has seen significant gains in the younger age group, and has felt the support when he’s been out on the campaign trail.
He said that he thought the idea that Gallagher might be a more successful candidate because of his relative youth and business experience was “insulting to anyone over the age of 60″, and said that the attitude that someone who gives their life to public service is lesser than someone who is relatively new to public life was a “damaging” one.
Higgins said he thinks Ireland needs a healing president with wisdom, judgement, and a background in public service.
He also described as ‘crude’ any talk of him being too old to take up the position at Áras an Uachtaráin.
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