Enda Kenny says he has 'no intention whatsoever' of running for president

FORMER TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny said he has “no intention whatsoever” of contesting the upcoming presidential election.

Kenny, a former leader of Fine Gael, made the remarks after being awarded an honorary doctorate by Dublin City University (DCU) today.

The doctor of philosophy (honoris causa) is the highest award DCU can bestow.

“I always enjoyed visiting Aras an Uachtarain – I never had an intention of seeking to become a tenant there,” Kenny said.

“That requires a very particular personality, and for me, who had the privilege and the honour of being Taoiseach twice, I would have no intention whatsoever of competing for the presidency.”

So far no one has declared their intention to run for president in the election later this year, although Mairead McGuinness, Frances Black, and Bertie Ahern have all said that they haven’t ruled out running.

Kenny became Taoiseach in 2011, following the economic crash of late 2008 and the subsequent bailout and austerity measures which saw support for Fianna Fail collapse.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Kenny also discussed fears over tariffs imposed by the US and how that will impact Ireland’s economy.

“The government here have taken a very clear line on this – and Ireland will weather this storm. I have no doubt,” he said, adding that Ireland’s relationships with countries within Europe are key.

“While there are serious challenges here now, there are also immense opportunities. So for the young generation, I would say: Don’t be afraid of this, because in previous times, previous generations faced with what were seemingly overwhelming problems – and yet you come through that.

“You moved from a position back in 2011 of being practically junk status to within a decade becoming one of the wealthiest countries in the world. So you now face challenges of that nature – of a first world country.”

Asked what advice he would give to the current government based on his own previous interactions with Trump, Kenny said: “I met President Trump in the Oval Office in 2017 and I reminded him that the waters that divide us were the waters that brought the Irish to freedom economically, and the Africans to slavery – and that [Saint] Patrick was an immigrant.”

He noted some of America’s leading companies are made up of people who were immigrants into the US, and added: “Obviously, this president is very different, but his decisions are part of what the American people voted for – but maybe not to that extent.”

With reporting by Emma Hickey