The Daily Star Ireland
Former European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has been officially named as Fine Gael’s nominee for the upcoming Irish presidential election. With no other names put forward by the party before the close of nominations this afternoon, her candidacy will now move to ratification in September.
Independent TD Catherine Connolly Expected to Announce Candidacy
Meanwhile, Independent TD Catherine Connolly is preparing to formally declare her bid for the presidency, with an announcement expected tomorrow. The Galway West representative is slated to speak to Raidió na Gaeltachta as part of her campaign launch.
Connolly is believed to have already secured more than the minimum 20 nominations from Oireachtas members required to enter the race. Her support base spans several political groups, including 12 Social Democrats — among them Eoin Hayes — and the two People Before Profit TDs. Additional endorsements have come from Independent TDs Charles Ward, Seamus Healy, and Brian Stanley.
Senator Eileen Flynn has also pledged her support, praising Connolly’s commitment to human rights and equality, and expressing confidence in her ability to represent Ireland effectively on the world stage.
Connolly is scheduled to meet with members of the Labour parliamentary party later today. While the Labour Party has not committed to a candidate, a decision is expected before the end of the month.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has signaled an openness to dialogue with Connolly, suggesting the party is considering her candidacy. However, he clarified that no endorsement has been made yet, and discussions are ongoing.
Other Candidates and Political Maneuvering Behind the Scenes
Entrepreneur Declan Ganley is reportedly in discussions with several Independent TDs and Senators as he explores the possibility of entering the race. While no official statement has been made, Ganley’s efforts suggest a desire to build a coalition of support in the coming weeks.
In contrast, former presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher has confirmed he will not run in this year’s election. Gallagher, who finished second to Michael D. Higgins in 2011 and garnered just over 6% of the vote in 2018, has opted out of returning to the political spotlight.
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín is also active in the presidential election discussions. He is working to unite a bloc of Oireachtas members around a candidate who reflects what he describes as the “unrepresented” segment of the Irish electorate. While acknowledging Connolly as a strong contender, Tóibín emphasized the importance of a broader debate, expressing concern that a binary contest between McGuinness and Connolly could exclude certain viewpoints.
He mentioned that his party is considering two additional candidates but declined to reveal their identities. When asked whether Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mulloolly was among them, Tóibín confirmed he had spoken to the MEP but was not proposing him as a nominee.
Fianna Fáil Holds Off on Early Decision
Fianna Fáil has yet to confirm whether it will put forward a presidential candidate. Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers stated today that the party’s position will not be finalized until early autumn. “We’ll make a decision on whether we’ll have a candidate or not in the early autumn. That’s a matter for our parliamentary party to discuss at that point,” he said during an interview on RTÉ Radio One’s News at One.
Speculation has circulated around Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin as a potential candidate. However, Chambers indicated that Martin is likely to remain in his current role, suggesting no imminent shift in leadership.
