Who are the potential runners and riders in the race for the Áras?

RTÉ News​

21 hours ago

The presidential election campaign has not yet caught fire, although flames are slowly being sparked.
President Michael D Higgins' 14-year term ends on 11 November, with a date in late October mooted for polling day.
The race is likely to pick up speed in autumn, leading to a short but intense campaign period.
Here we look some of the potential runners and riders for the 2025 Presidential Election.
Catherine Connolly
Independent TD Catherine Connolly is highly expected to formally declare her candidacy for the Áras tomorrow.
She has been steadily garnering support from left-leaning parties and TDs, already receiving the backing of the Social Democrats, while People Before Profit's two TDs also set to row in behind the Galway West TD.
The former Leas-Ceann Comhairle has the backing of 12 Social Democrats, including Eoin Hayes, as well as the two People Before Profit TDs.
Independent TDs Charles Ward, Seamus Healy and Brian Stanley have also confirmed they will nominate her.
She is expected to easily surpass the 20 nominations threshold of support from Oireachtas members which is required.
Labour Party
The question remains whether other left-leaning Dáil parties, particularly the Labour Party, will row behind Ms Connolly and support her as a combined left contender.
For Ms Connolly and Labour, it may be a case of letting bygones be bygones.
Ms Connolly resigned from the party after she was denied her wish to contest the Galway West constituency as a running mate of President Higgins in the 2007 General Election.
Ms Connolly was critical of Labour during the party's time in government, and once claimed the party had "lost its soul".
This afternoon, Ms Connolly held a meeting with Labour's parliamentary party to set out her stall.
Labour has also been exploring the prospect of running its own candidate, and has opened a two-week consultation period.
On 31 July, the party will discuss the consultation and will then decide on its approach to the election.
Sinn Féin
For Sinn Féin, it is undecided if it will select its own candidate or support the united left-wing nomination.
First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill is seen as many as an ideal frontrunner for the party, however, intrigue was created when Mary Lou McDonald recently refused to rule herself out of the contest.
Ms McDonald has repeatedly said that Sinn Féin is considering its options when it comes to this year's election and that an internal process is under way, with a decision to be arrived at in a few weeks.
The party has the electoral numbers to nominate its own candidate, and Belfast lawyer and MP John Finucane is also often touted as a potential runner.
While former leader Gerry Adams could also be considered by the party, given he would be such a high-profile candidate on the ballot.
Aontú and the Green Party
One left-leaning party which likely will not be backing Catherine Connolly's nomination is Aontú, with party leader Peadar Tóibín saying it was important that other types of voices were in the contest.
He added that he had spoken to two potential candidates and other Oireachtas members in order to build consensus.
He said there was a danger that a contest solely between Ms Connolly and Fine Gael candidate Mairead McGuinness would mean that a section of the population did not have their values reflected in the debate.
Asked whether Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mulloolly was one of the two people he spoke to, Mr Tóibín said that while he had spoken to the MEP, he was not suggesting him as a candidate.
Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said his party is open to a conversation with Ms Connolly about whether her vision aligns with Green values.
But he said no decision had been made yet as to who the party might back in the election.
Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly ruled himself out last week, paving the way for Ms McGuinness to be the party's only candidate.
However, her candidacy will not be ratified until a party event in early September, leading many to believe Ms McGuinness will seek to avoid the public spotlight as much as possible over the summer months.
But she is still expected to crisscross the country canvassing for votes.
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil has not run a presidential candidate since 1997, when its candidate Mary McAleese topped the poll, and the party is still undecided whether to enter this year's contest.
The party is still considering its options, and while Taoiseach and party leader Micheál Martin's name has been floated as a potential candidate, he is said to prefer to remain in his current role.
If Fianna Fáil is to run a candidate, names linked to the party include former TDs Peter Power and Mary Hanafin.
Ms Hanafin is on the record saying she would love the opportunity to run for president as Fianna Fáil's candidate and that she had spoken to Mr Martin about her desire to run.
Two current Fianna Fáil MEPs have also been strongly linked to potentially representing the party – Billy Kelleher and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.
Former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said he is considering entering the race to become the next president, and had been mooted by some as potentially representing Fianna Fáil.
However, Mr Martin said he was surprised to hear Mr Eastwood's name linked to the party, adding he was not aware of any engagement with the Foyle MP.
Other names being touted
It is understood that businessman Declan Ganley could soon throw his hat into the race.
Mr Ganley, who founded the short-lived Libertas party in 2009, is understood to have been actively canvassing various independent TDs and senators looking for their backing.
Dr Mike Ryan of the World Health Organization is another name linked with the presidency.
2018 candidate Peter Casey has declared an interest in running.
His most likely path to the ballot paper would require the support of local authorities. However, this would likely prove to be very difficult given the local authorities are controlled by the three major parties.
but he is also highly unlikely to be given the nod.
Of course, it is still very much early days in this race and a slew of other hopefuls could still emerge over the coming weeks in hope of becoming Ireland's 10th Úachtarán na hÉireann.