Mairead McGuinness nominated by Fine Gael to run for presidency
The MEP's name will go forward for ratification at a party event in September and will mark the start of the Fine Gael presidential election campaign.
Ms McGuinness said she is 'conscious of the opportunity and challenge ahead, given the very important constitutional role of the President, and the esteem in which the office is held by the people.
'Subject to my candidacy being ratified by the party in early September, I very much look forward to setting out my vision.'
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Tánaiste and Fine Gael President Simon Harris said Ms McGuinness has
'all the attributes to bring our nation together at this important time.'
Meanwhile, Aontú is seeking to build a bloc of Oireachtas members who could nominate a candidate to run in the upcoming presidential election.
Party leader Peadar Toibín said there is a danger the election could end up as a debate between Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness and Independent TD Catherine Connolly and that a significant proportion of the population would not have their values represented in that scenario.
However, there was scepticism from rival party Independent Ireland that a candidate put forward by Aontú would get enough support to get on the ballot paper.
Presidential candidates need the support of 20 Oireachtas members or four local authority councils to get on the ballot paper for the election due to happen in late October or early November.
Aontú has three Oireachtas members.
Mr Toibín said his party has spoken to a number of other groups, Independents and another political party which he identified as Independent Ireland which has four TDs.
'We have suggested about 20 or 25 TDs and Senators come together to create a selection bloc, and that a number of candidates who would be of similar values would put themselves forward to that selection bloc.'
He said the participating Oireachtas members could then vote through PRSTV (proportional representation with a single transferable vote) style system to select the 'best candidate'.
The bloc would then nominate the winner of the vote en masse.
He said that at present 'there isn't 20 [Oireachtas members] locked-in' to participate but 'there are a number who are very favourable'.
Mr Toibín said the defeat of the Family and Care referendums last year proved there was 'a section of Irish society that didn't have a voice, they felt, in terms of Leinster House.'
He said he wants to see these people have a voice in the presidential election.
He suggested any candidate that might emerge from the process 'would be of a centrist position in terms of the political spectrum.'
Mr Toibín said Aontú has spoken to two potential candidates which he said are well-known 'people of quality' and he has suggested names to Independent Ireland and to a number of other independents.
Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins had earlier told reporters at Leinster House that his party has not discussed the Presidential election with Aontú.
He also said: 'I don't think Aontú can put forward a candidate that can get 20 votes.
'Prove me wrong Peader and I'll say yes, you're 100 per cent right and I apologise.
'But at this present time I don't think that's a possibility.'
Asked about Mr Collin's remarks Mr Toibín later said that his party has been in contact with Independent Ireland MEP Ciarán Mullooly.
On Mr Collins' suggestion that a name put forward by Aontú would not get 20 nominees, Mr Toibín said: 'it is in the hands of the candidates to be able to build up enough support.
'What we're trying to do is facilitate it because it is easy for political parties and independents to sit on the sidelines of this and say, listen, if someone gets 16 nominations, sure we'll throw our name on to it.
'But that's not necessarily going to give a momentum or a process for that to be achieved, and that's what we're trying to do.'
Mr Collins meanwhile said his party will be speaking to potential candidates including Ms Connolly in the coming days.
He said Ms Connolly would 'absolutely' make a good president and the party would give 'serious consideration' to supporting her.
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