Taoiseach Enda Kenny has rejected claims that support for his party in recent opinion polls was not reflected in support for Fine Gael's presidential candidate Gay Mitchell.
Speaking on the campaign trail with Mr Mitchell in Galway, Mr Kenny said: “It’s never too late in politics".
"Actually, I started to read the other night the book by [Barack] Obama's campaign manager, Audacity to Win, and when he went for the US senate position in the first place, he was rated as a non-entity with no hope whatever of being elected," he said.
“I am not comparing our campaign to [that of] President Obama, but what I am saying is that in politics you fight through to the end, and for us it is a brilliant opportunity to bring our candidate – the Fine Gael candidate – to the forefront of the people,”he said.
“He’s got all of the characteristics and qualities that would make an outstanding presidency. Here in the rain in Galway it’s self evident the numbers that have turned out to meet him, “he added.
Mr Mitchell spoke of his long experience in politics, and said that he had “the energy to sustain over the seven years a path which is congruent with the government of the day”.
“We need cash flow and confidence,”Mr Mitchell said. “The Government is dealing with the cash flow problem, and the president can work with the government of the day to restore confidence. That’s what will bring jobs and enterprise to our country.”
Mr Mitchell said that his comment at the weekend about not “sipping champagne and reading poetry” if elected was a “metaphorical comment”.
“All I’m saying is I won’t be sipping champagne in the Áras,” he said.
"I’ll be out working with the people and I’ll be visiting Galway and other parts of the country many times as I regularly do.”
Mr Mitchell referred to the “strength and the warmth of the welcome” in Galway and predicted “we are going to do very well in this campaign, and furthermore the local deputies tell me it is going very well on the doors”.
“The real poll will take place on October 27th, this is not the general election, this is a national by-election and from what I am getting back from our canvassers we are going to do very well,”he said.
