O'Meara to seek Presidential nomination

Former Senator Kathleen O'Meara is to seek the Labour Party nomination for the Presidency.

The 51-year-old from Tipperary is expected to formally launch her bid for the nomination later today.

Ms O' Meara served in the Seanad for ten years, has also worked as a journalist and is now head of Advocacy and Communications with the Irish Cancer Society.

The 51-year-old said she wants to have "a national engagement, asking people about what they want Ireland to be".

She said this would then lead to a new proclamation for a new nation in 2016.

Michael D Higgins and Fergus Finlay have already declared an interest in the Labour nomination which will be decided on June 19.

The presidential election will not take place until the Autumn but already Senator David Norris, Special Olympics chief Mary Davis and businessman Sean Gallagher have declared their interest in the job.

Over the weekend, former Taoiseach John Bruton ruled himself out of the running, saying he was not seeking the Fine Gael nomination while Fianna Fáil has still to decide if it will run a candidate.