Former Limerick politician ‘flattered’ at suggestion he run for President

A FORMER Limerick TD, who traded politics for the high-tech world, says he’s “honoured” and “flattered” after it was suggested he run for the Presidency.

Tom Neville represented the Limerick County constituency in Dail Eireann between 2016 and 2020, and also served two terms as a Fine Gael councillor.

The father-of-two shared an exchange he received on his social media channels from a former constituent.

They wrote that he, wife Jenny and their two-year-old twin daughters Bella and Capri, would be well suited to “the big white house”, also known as Áras an Uachtarán.

Located in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, Áras an Uachtarán is home of the sitting Irish President.

“I’m not joking, that’s what we need - a young interesting President,” they added “You’d be 10 times better than the rest!”.

“It was the last thing I expected to come into my WhatsApp on a Friday evening,” Mr Neville said.

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“I was absolutely flattered to be considered in the same guise as even our current President. Even that thought process coming into their head, given I’m out of politics for five years,” he added.

After missing out on a return to Dail Eireann at the 2020 general election, Mr Neville - who is also an accomplished actor and stand-up comedian - began working for social media giant TikTok. He splits his time between Dublin and London.

In recent months, as his daughters have become a bit older, he has enjoyed more regular visits to Limerick, to visit relatives, including his father Dan, who hails from Croagh.

A former chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, Dan Neville was a TD for the old Limerick West constituency between 1997 and 2015.

Mr Neville said he enjoys his visits back to Limerick.

“It’s great to get back down. The kids are at a certain age now that it is a lot easier to travel with them. They love coming to be closer to family. We hang out in Adare and it’s great. We spend a bit of time in the city or the Crescent Shopping Centre.

"We’d go to the Woodlands House Hotel, where they have the petting farm, which they love, and of course, we get to Curraghchase too,” he said.

"It's lovely when I get stopped by people. It gives me a chance to re-engage. Politics is never going to leave me, it’s always in my blood, it’s something which sits with me very deeply, to have been given the chance to represent the constituency,” he said.

Given this, would the former Fine Gael TD consider a run for the highest office in the land when Ireland goes to the polls later this year?

“I’ve got family who I am concentrating on at the moment. I have a full-time job at the moment. So I need to concentrate on what I have at the moment. But in relation to politics, down the line, who knows? Never say never,” he grinned.

There is a member of the Neville clan in Dail Eireann - Tom’s first cousin Joe Neville in Kildare North, elected in November.

Tom Neville, who is 49, would not be the youngest President Ireland has had.

That honour is shared between the two female first citizens the country has elected. Both Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese were 46 years of age when they entered Áras an Uachtaráin, in 1990 and 1997 respectively.

Mr Neville is unsure if anyone has become President with as young a family as his.

“I don’t know if they have. Ordinarily it would be an elder statesman in the role. I don’t believe anybody has been elected who would have children who were not grown up,” he admitted.

“If it does happen, and it’s the right person, then great.”

Asked how his wife, the former Fair City actress Jenny would feel as becoming Ireland’s first lady, he laughed: “Jenny is concentrated on her own business and leaves politics to me!”

Mr Neville does believe the role of President will continue to evolve over time.

“A steady hand is always important. You don’t have the same powers as Taoiseach. But it’s a symbolic role and it does have its functions when it is called upon from a constitutional point of view,” he said.

“In a seven-year period, you will have ups, downs, challenges, wins, changes of Government. You need someone who has steady leadership.”