Two presidential candidates confirmed, but who is likely to join them in race for the Áras?
Independent Galway West TD Catherine Connolly formally launched her campaign for the presidency at Leinster House on Wednesday afternoon.
With two presidential candidates now confirmed, speculation is heating up around who will be joining Catherine Connolly and Mairead McGuinness.
Sinn Féin has yet to indicate whether it will put forward its own candidate, with a number of names still in the mix.
Party leader Mary Lou McDonald has kept herself in the conversation saying “we are not ruling anything in or out”. However, it is not expected that she will enter the race, preferring instead to remain in her current roles.
Her Stormont colleague Michelle O’Neill has similarly done little to rule herself out of entering the race.
Asked recently whether or not she was considering it, she responded: “I am... working our way through deliberations as we speak.”
Sinn Féin has concluded an internal consultation, with Ms McDonald saying it will likely be a number of weeks before a “clearer picture” emerges.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has also been suggested as a contender for the top job but the Taoiseach has not expressed interest in stepping down as leader of the country to enter the race.
The party has yet to come to a decision on whether or not it will run a candidate with some in Fianna Fáil believing it should sit the election out if a strong candidate does not emerge. Fianna Fáil last ran a candidate in 1997 with Mary McAleese.
In lieu of any decision, a number of names have featured in conversations including Mary Hanafin and Peter Power, who have both expressed an interest.
Recent reports suggest that former EU commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn is also being considered by some in Fianna Fáil.
There could be a second presidential candidate from Galway as businessman Declan Ganley is said to be weighing up a potential run.
Mr Ganley is said to have been engaging with members of the Oireachtas in recent days in an effort to build support for a potential campaign.
The former Libertas leader would be seen as a distinctly different option for voters compared to Ms Connolly and Ms McGuinness.
The lack of political diversity among candidates is a concern that was raised by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín who said there is a danger that 30%-40% of the population would not have their values represented in the election if just the two current candidates run.
Mr Tóibín said he has contacted other parties and Independents about coming together to create a “selection bloc” to which candidates “who would be of similar values” would put themselves forward for nomination, with the best candidate chosen in a PR-STV style vote. There are almost 20 TDs and senators “locked in”, according to Mr Tóibín with a number of others who are very favourable “who could be of the mind to pick a person who would be representative of their views”.
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