18 hours ago
Humphreys opens up strong lead over Kelly
Heather Humphreys' sprint towards the Fine Gael nomination continues this morning with an apparently unassailable lead over fellow hopeful, Seán Kelly.
Ms Humphreys is understood to have the support of 42 members of the Parliamentary party - she needs 20 - and is continuing to seek backers.
Under Fine Gael's rules, a candidate also needs the support of 25 councillors and five members of the Executive Council.
There are 59 members of the Parliamentary Party, so if Ms Humphreys does retain the support of 42 TDs, Senators and MEPs, that would not leave Mr Kelly with enough support to make it through the nomination process.
Fine Gael is giving candidates two weeks to secure the support needed to see whether the matter progresses to a vote within the party.
Should Ms Humphreys secure the party nomination, she will face serious questions over her record in government.
Last night, Sinn Féin's Mark Ward said she would have to "account for 14 years of Fine Gael failure."
The Dublin Mid-West TD said Ms Humphreys' U-turn on whether to run "reeks of desperation".
Sinn Féin still has to consider whether it will run its own candidate, with a decision expected next month.
The party is still mulling the option of supporting Catherine Connolly who has the support of the Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit and some Independent TDs, meaning her name will be on the ballot paper.
Yesterday, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin poured cold water on MEP Billy Kelleher's call for an urgent meeting to decide the party's strategy.
The Taoiseach said: "I've made it very, very clear, at the end of this month, I will be making it clear and engaging with the Parliamentary Party and outlining the Fianna Fáil position then."
Businessman Gareth Sheridan's team say he is still in with a shout of making it onto the ballot paper.
A spokesman for the 35-year-old entrepreneur said: "He has personally engaged with the significant independent councillor groupings in no fewer than ten local authorities; secured commitments from as many as eight of them that they are willing to propose and second his candidacy when the time arises, and this is what gives him the confidence to assert that he is assured of being nominated in at least four local authorities."
This is another route to being officially nominated, one Mr Sheridan's team is confident of, but a lot will depend on Fianna Fáil's decision.
If the party does not run its own candidate, will FF councillors be free to support Independents, or could they row in behind their coalition partner, Fine Gael's?
Much will be decided in the next fortnight.
The election is expected to take place around the end of October.
The Electoral Commission notes that in 2018 and 2011, Presidential Election Orders were signed by the Minister in late August and Iris Oifigiúl notices published that month or early September.
Nominations opened two days after the Order was signed and published.
In the last Presidential election, nominations were open between 10am Thursday 30 August to 12pm Wednesday 26 September for 28 days or four weeks.
