2 days ago
A new runner for the Aras: An Irish pharma entrepreneur who's just over the age 35 threshold
A 35-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN is the latest person to declare they are running to be the next Irish president.
Gareth Sheridan just passes the minimum age limit to run for the office. At age 35, he's looking to become the youngest ever Irish president.
Who is he?
The multi-millionaire is the founder and former CEO of US-based company Nutriband, which describes itself as a 'values-based company' that manufactures abuse deterrent transdermal patches aimed specifically at opioid and fentanyl abuse.
Former presidential candidate Sean Gallagher is a former president of the firm. Sheridan, also released a book this year called 'From No To NASDAQ' which was launched in Dublin by another presidential candidate Gavin Duffy.
I confirm my intention to seek nomination for this October's Presidential Election, aiming to become the youngest-ever candidate for the nation's highest office.
Never in our country's history has the choice of a younger candidate been more relevant, more urgent, or more…
— Gareth Sheridan (@GPSheridan1)
August 10, 2025
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Sheridan, who has dual Irish and American citizenship, said he specifically wanted to highlight the housing crisis throughout his campaign.
He said the country has 'become so divided', stating that there is an 'overwhelming sense of division'.
'There's a feeling of under representation for a whole segment of the population and that's really the people under the age of 40 that are condemned to a life of exorbitant rents or emigration,' he said.
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'We're all familiar with the housing crisis at the moment, and this is something that I want to highlight and focus and champion over the course of my campaign. But you know, it's important as well to stress that I want to be a voice for a younger generation,' he added.
When pointed out to him that the president plays no role in housing policy in Ireland, and that this is a matter controlled by government, he acknowledged that the presidency 'is not an executive role'.
'You're not going to have major decision-making powers there. It is an influential role. I think we can all agree on that,' he said.
Sheridan said that he has been in contact with local authorities in a bid to get the required four local authorities to sign off on him running.
The only other option for candidates is to get at least 20 members of the Oireachtas to support your candidacy, but with Fine Gael supporting Mairead McGuinness and the majority of the left-wing opposition parties backing TD Catherine Connolly, that route has been narrowed.
'This isn't something that has been decided quickly. This is something I've been working on for over a year now. I've been meeting with councillors and councils and putting the work in,' he said.
However, Sheridan criticised the exclusion of local authority nominations amid reports that the local authority route may also be a struggle, with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael holding the majority on councils and will likely only back their own.
In the past, with Fianna Fáil not running a candidate, it allowed for more flexibility around non-party affiliated candidates getting a nod from those in Fianna Fáil.
However, if Micheál Martin decides the party will field a candidate, the question is will Fianna Fáil councillors still have that flexibility to abstain and allow others to put their name on the ballot paper? One would suspect not.
Aside from Sheridan, businessman Peter Casey, who previously ran for the presidency, and who has already said he is interested in running for it again, said over the weekend that he will formally seek nominations from county councils.
He told the Irish Independent he has written to Donegal County Council asking for an opportunity to pitch for an endorsement that will help him get on the ballot paper again.
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