Lenihan served in the Irish Army for 14 years before changing careers to become a lecturer in history at the University of Galway. A nephew of former minister Mary O'Rourke, who died recently, he has a strong interest in defence and education.

I hope to build up the strength of the Aontú party. I won't be elected but some of my colleagues will and the rest should poll cumulatively enough to get over the 2 per cent that will release state funding.

Immigration. It is a good thing but you can have too much of a good thing.

It won't happen.