Seven councillors to back Sean Gallagher's presidential bid

Two Fianna Fáil councillors and another from Fine Gael are set to ignore Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar's calls to support Michael D Higgins' re-election campaign by publicly backing Sean Gallagher's presidential bid.

The Irish Examiner understands Fianna Fáil councillors Niall Kelleher and Wayne Harding, from Kerry and Meath, and Fine Gael councillor John McCartin, from Leitrim, will officially announce their support for Mr Gallagher in the coming days.