Fianna Fáil 'taking soundings' from party on running candidate in presidential election

Sources said it was a matter of finding the right candidate, with a poll last weekend showing little appetite for the names, such as Bertie Ahern, which have been floated thus far

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ruled himself out of running for the presidency. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

Fianna Fáil is continuing to weigh up whether to run a candidate in this year's presidential election, with a decision not expected before early next month.

Thus far, there are only two candidates in the presidential field with the required support to be on the ballot — Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness and independent TD Catherine Connolly — with Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin yet to decide who they will put forward, if anyone.