Michael D Higgins not ruling out second term as president

President Michael D Higgins has not ruled out running for a second term in office, despite claiming after his 2011 election that he would be a one-term candidate.

Mr Higgins, a former Labour Party minister and long-standing TD, said he would make a decision “in the fullness of time”, leaving open the possibility of a U-turn on his initial plans.

Speaking at an event in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley during an eight-day visit to the west coast of the US, Mr Higgins said he had yet to made any firm decision on a second term. He will be 77 at the time of the next presidential election in 2018.