Alex's Answer

Hi there, you are very welcome to Ask Alex.  

Thank you for contacting us. You have asked about how you can become President, so it sounds like you are thinking about your future career.  

The Role of President comes with lots of responsibility. The President represents all the people of Ireland, both home and abroad. The formal powers and functions of the President are prescribed in the Constitution. Many of the powers of the President can only be exercised on the advice of the Government, but the President can use his or her own discretion in other areas of decision making.  

The President’s powers include:  

• Appointment of the Taoiseach, members of the Government, Judges and other Officials  
• Summoning and Dissolving the Dail 
• Signing Legislation into Law 
• Representing the People of Ireland 
• Acting as Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces 

So now we know what the President does and the powers s/he has but how can we become President of Ireland? 

To be eligible for election as President, you must be an Irish citizen, aged 35 or older. The President of Ireland is elected by the people of Ireland and in order to be considered a candidate, you must be nominated by at least 20 members of Dail or Seanad Eireann or at least 4 Local Authorities (County Councils). 

The candidate who wins the Presidential Election becomes President of Ireland by publicly making the oath set out in Bunreacht na hEireann. The President is then inaugurated in St Patrick’s Hall in Dublin Castle and makes the declaration in the presence of members of both Houses of the Oireachtas, the Judges of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the High Court, and other public persons.  

As with the choosing of any career, it’s important to remember to follow your heart. Knowing who you are, what energises you and what makes you tick is important and can help motivate you to cope with life’s challenges. Remember that the first step is always the most difficult but believe in yourself, trust in your abilities, and never be afraid to dream.  

If you want to find out more about The President of Ireland, there is lots of information on the President’s Website, which can be accessed here: https://president.ie/en. Further information on this topic can also be found on the Citizens Information website: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/elections_and_referenda/national_elections/presidential_election.html  

Thank you so much for getting in touch, and remember, you are very welcome to chat with the Childline Team by phone on 1800 66 66 66  or by text on  50101  or through our web chat on www.childline.ie.  Childline services are free and confidential, and are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.   

Kind regards,  

Alex.