4 days ago
Galway independent TD Catherine Connolly makes it official and declares Áras run
LAST UPDATE
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19 mins ago
GALWAY INDEPENDENT TD Catherine Connolly has officially launched her campaign for the presidency today, confirming her bid on Raidió Na Gaeltachta this morning.
Connolly is the second official candidate in the race for the Áras after Fine Gael
confirmed yesterday that former European Commissioner and MEP Mairead McGuinness would run under the party's banner
.
She is set to make an appearance at a press conference at Leinster House later today.
Connolly confirmed her candidacy on the Adhmhaidin programme this morning, adding that it was a very difficult decision to make and questioned her capabilities at first.
She said, however, that she has received many emails from supporters asking her to stand over the last year and a half.
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Connolly also has the backing of the Social Democrats, People Before Profit TDs and a number of independent TDs.
She told the programme that both parties have confirmed that they are willing to give her their support, but exact details around how the groups will assist in the campaign have yet to be ironed out.
A candidate needs the backing of 20 Oireachtas members (TDs or senators) in order to get on the ballot paper.
Politicians from a raft of Dáil parties and groupings
were out having their say on the presidential race at Leinster House yesterday.
Connolly's former party, Labour, is yet to decide whether it will back her or go another way.
'We will have a very frank and detailed conversation with Catherine and then a decision will be made,' Labour's Marie Sherlock said yesterday ahead of a planned meeting with the TD.
This is a breaking story with more information to follow.
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