ieExplains: What will happen in the run-up to the presidential election?
Housing minister James Browne is expected to sign the election order on Wednesday. Following the signing of the election order, the nomination process will open. Picture: iStock
The presidential election is finally starting to heat up, with the field of candidates becoming clearer.
Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys was confirmed as her party’s candidate on Tuesday and joins Catherine Connolly on the ballot paper.
However, the real drama will start next week when Fianna Fáil selects a candidate.
But what is actually happening with this election?
This is the million-euro question that was finally answered on Tuesday.
The election will take place on October 24 — the Friday of the October bank holiday weekend.
Housing minister James Browne is expected to sign the election order on Wednesday.
Following the signing of the election order, the nomination process will open. This usually happens two days after the election order, meaning nominations can be lodged from Friday onwards.
It is understood that the cut-off for nominations will be Wednesday, September 24.
To be on the ballot paper, a person requires the backing of either 20 Oireachtas members or four county councils.
Independent TD Catherine Connolly became the first person to confirm they had enough support. She will be nominated by People Before Profit, the Labour Party, and the Social Democrats.
Fine Gael will run its former TD and minister Heather Humphreys. She is a late call-up following former European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness’s decision to pull out on health grounds.
After this, the field is wide open.
There will likely be extreme fireworks in Fianna Fáil next week.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is supporting former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin. The party's seven Cabinet ministers, half of the ministers of state, and a range of backbenchers have said they will support Mr Gavin.
However, he will face stiff competition from Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher, who sources say will “absolutely” get the required five nominations.
This will lead to a secret ballot being held in Leinster House next Tuesday. While Mr Gavin has 24 public declarations of support, Mr Kelleher has four.
However, sources in Camp Kelleher have pointed out that a large chunk of the parliamentary party has yet to declare who they are backing. There is an assumption that these politicians could support Mr Kelleher, but that they do not want to speak out against the Taoiseach’s candidate publicly.
Mary Lou McDonald appears to be still humming and hawing about whether she will throw her name into the ring.
She told the that no option was off the table for the party.
Sinn Féin will meet for its two-day think-in in Dublin next Monday and Tuesday, and the presidency will be discussed by the parliamentary party. The party’s ard comhairle will then meet on September 20 to decide whether it will run its own candidate or back someone else.
Other than Ms McDonald, other names being mentioned include Pearse Doherty, Michelle O’Neill, and Rose Conway-Walsh.
Polling day will take place on Friday, October 24. The latest date for receipt of an application to register is 15 days before polling day, excluding Sundays.
This is likely to mean that Tuesday, October 7, will be the last day that people will be eligible to vote.
The latest date for receipt of applications for both postal and special voting is 22 days before polling day, excluding Sundays.
This means it is likely these votes will need to be received by Monday, September 29.
