The Five Demands

Higgins elected Irish president (UTV)
The 70-year-old Labour candidate secured the quota required to be elected after the fourth count was completed on Saturday.
Mr Higgins took a total of 1,007,104 votes – a 56.8% share – putting him well ahead of second placed Sean Gallagher and third placed Martin McGuinness.
Speaking after the announcement, he said he was grateful to all those who had voted for him adding that he would be a president for all the people.
“From this moment I will cease to be a member and president of the Labour Party, a party which has informed my thinking and the ethos of my life,” he said.
“For the presidency is an independent office and the Irish people which I appreciate so much and take with so much responsibility, have given a very clear mandate on a very clear set of ideas to me as president of Ireland.
“And I want to be a president too for those who did not vote, whose trust in public institutions I will encourage and work to recover.
“The mandate I have received and for which I will speak with heart and head to implement over the next seven years had its four pillars – an inclusive citizenship, equality and participation and respect in a creative society creating an excellence in everything we Irish do.
“Making an Irishness to be proud of in a real Republic.”
Outgoing president Mary McAleese passed on her congratulations to Michael D Higgins.
The Belfast woman, who served two terms in the office, said: “On my own behalf and on behalf of the Irish people, I warmly congratulate Michael D Higgins, our new President-elect.
“His success in the Presidential election marks the start of an exciting chapter for our country, our global Irish family and for the Higgins family.”
Confirmation of Mr Higgins’ victory came at Dublin Castle on Saturday, however it was evident soon after ballot boxes were opened that he would be the Republic’s ninth president.
His six rivals – including former front runner Sean Gallagher, whose campaign imploded during the last live debate on RTÉ – had conceded defeat on Friday.
Sinn Féin candidate Martin McGuinness finished his campaign with 13.7% share of first preferences and more than a quarter of a million votes overall.
He will return to his role as Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister, but said his performance has been significant for the republican movement.
“I think that what has happened in this election has been a further boost to republicanism and a further engagement by republicanism in mainstream Irish politics,” he said.
Mr McGuinness, who came under scrutiny during the race for his past as an IRA commander, added: “I was in the contest to win.
“I think it’s been a tremendous experience and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life. But my political career isn’t over.”
He also dropped the bombshell that Mr Gallagher had received a €5,000 cheque from a businessman with a conviction for tax fraud and fuel smuggling, which ultimately swung the vote.
Two independents at the bottom of the polls, Mary Davis, who headed the Irish division of Special Olympics, and Dana Rosemary Scallon, former Eurovision winner and Eurosceptic MEP, were excluded on the first count, while Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell polled poorly.
Labour, the junior party in coalition with Fine Gael, is also celebrating after councillor Patrick Nulty won the seat in Dublin West left vacant after the death of former finance minister Brian Lenihan.
Turnout across the Republic of Ireland was low, with around 50% of the 3.1 million eligible voters going to the polls to cast their vote.
Mr Higgins will be inaugurated on 11 November, Armistice Day – the day after current president Mary McAleese leaves office.