Michael D Higgins enters presidential race

Michael D Higgins has formally entered the race for the upcoming presidential election.

The former Minister is to hold a series of meetings throughout the country in the coming week as part of his campaign.

In a statement he said the crisis Ireland faces "provides opportunities as well as enormous challenges".

He described Labour's other declared candidate Fergus Finlay as "'formidable and able".

The news comes after Dragon's Den judge and entrepreneur Sean Gallagher this morning confirmed that he would seek an independent nomination to run as a candidate in the election.