SF ratifies McGuinness as Presidential candidate

Sinn Féin has ratified Martin McGuinness as its Presidential candidate.

The party made history by doing so - this is the first time it has fielded a candidate to stand in a Presidential election.

The North's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness receives the backing of 17 Sinn Féin Oireachtas members and four Independent TDs - Michael Healy Rae, Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, Tom Fleming and Finian McGrath.

Publisher of the Irish Voice newspaper in America, and former Irish Presidential hopeful himself, Niall O'Dowd said: "He is the best possible candidate Sinn Féin could have put forward.

"My fear would be that if they actually won the election, I'm not certain that it's 100% bedded down in Northern Ireland yet and he would be deeply missed up there."