Presidential election wide open after Mairead McGuinness withdrawal
The former European commissioner said her decision to withdraw "had not come lightly", adding that it was made "after a stay in hospital last week".
Ms McGuinness had been the only nominee for Fine Gael and was one of just two candidates with the requisite support to be on the ballot in the next three months.
Based on recent polling, she was considered a favourite to win the election but said on Thursday that she would withdraw based on medical advice.
Ms McGuinness said that her priority was her health and that, "given that the election is in a short couple of months, I do not believe that I have the strength to give the campaign my all".
Withdrawing is the right decision for her and her family, she said.
"I appreciate that this will come as a shock and disappointment to party members and colleagues in Fine Gael, but our political family is strong," she added.
"I have spoken with the Tánaiste and Party leader, Simon Harris, and thanked him for his support and understanding."
'Incredible contribution'
In a statement, Mr Harris said that Ms McGuinness "has made an incredible contribution to public life in Ireland and in Europe".
"It was our clear view in Fine Gael, and the view of many people across Ireland, that Mairead would make an excellent President of Ireland.
"Mairead's health will not now allow this. This has come as an awful shock to us all," Mr Harris added.
Mr Harris said that his party will consider its next steps in the coming days, but party sources said that there was not an immediately obvious candidate.
Former GAA president and current MEP Seán Kelly had been tipped to contest the nomination process, but withdrew just after it began, while others within the party said that attempts could be made to persuade former ministers Heather Humphreys or Simon Coveney to return to politics.
The party's executive council will convene within the coming days to decide a way forward.
The agriculture minister and Fine Gael director of elections for the upcoming election, Martin Heydon, said that Ms McGuinness "has served Fine Gael and Ireland with distinction in her public life".
Education minister Helen McEntee said that "as an MEP and as a European commissioner, she has done our country proud, and it is my belief that she would have made an excellent President".
'Shock to us all'
Independent candidate Catherine Connolly, the only other confirmed candidate on the ballot, said the decision by Ms McGuinness to withdraw from the presidential campaign "has come as a shock to all of us".
'Without a doubt, this decision could not have been an easy one for her to make.
'I would like to extend my best wishes to Mairead and her family at this time, and all the best for the future.'
Presidential election hopeful Gareth Sheridan, meanwhile, has accused people in former business associate Seán Gallagher's "circle" of leaking negative stories to the press about him.
Mr Gallagher previously served as chairman of Mr Sheridan's pharmaceutical company Nutriband from 2017 to 2021.
Before starting a pitch at a press conference in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, Mr Sheridan raised concerns about media coverage of his campaign.
'There seems to be somewhat of a co-ordinated attack taking place on my character by people associated and in Seán Gallagher's circle,' he said.
'I'm not saying for a moment that Seán is behind this or involved in any way. Some of you in the room know what I'm talking about.
'For a couple of days now, we've been receiving essentially copy and paste question lists with minimal time to respond from various different outlets with the exact same questions. Something just seems a little off.'
He added: 'Perhaps somebody is taking our breakup a little bit worse than me.'
Mr Gallagher did not respond to requests for comment from the Irish Examiner.
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