Mary Lou McDonald 'not ruling out' Irish presidential run

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she is not ruling out an Irish presidential run.

When asked by reporters about her plans on Monday morning, she said: "We are not ruling anything in or anything out."

This is a shift from her position in March when she ruled herself out of the running.

The election for a new Irish president has to be held before 11 November this year.

Prior to her comments in March, there had been some speculation McDonald may stand following her disappointment at not emerging as taoiseach (the Republic of Ireland's prime minister) in last year's general election.

On Monday, McDonald said there is a process underway in Sinn Féin regarding the presidency.

She said Sinn Féin has conducted a consultation with party membership, and she now has that report on her desk.

"We have to do a bit more work," McDonald said.

"I think over the next number of weeks, probably the end of July and into August, we will have a clearer picture of what we are doing."

McDonald said Sinn Féin has had discussions with other political parties regarding the option of a joint candidate, supported by the opposition or the left.

However, she said: "We don't have full clarity on this. It's a moving picture."

Northern Ireland's first minister and vice president of Sinn Féin, Michelle O'Neill, has also not ruled herself out of the race.

Asked last month if she is considering putting her name forward, Ms O'Neill laughed and said: "We are working our way through our deliberations in terms of the presidential race itself."

Fine Gael will open its nomination process on Monday for anyone seeking the party's candidacy for the upcoming election.

Nominations will close at 16:00 local time on 15 July.

To be nominated, a candidate needs the nomination of 20 members of the parliamentary party, 25 Fine Gael councillors and five members of the executive council.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported that it is expected Mairead McGuinness and MEP Seán Kelly may seek a nomination.

Colum Eastwood, the MP for Foyle, said last month said he is considering entering the race to become the next president of Ireland.

He resigned as leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in October 2024.

He said people had asked him to consider standing.

Eastwood had been suggested as a possible candidate for Fianna Fáil, the two parties had been linked under Eastwood's leadership from 2019 to 2022.

However, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he was surprised to hear Eastwood was considering running.

In May, president of the Gaelic Athletic Association Jarlath Burns ruled himself out of the race.

To run for the office of President of Ireland, you have to be an Irish citizen and aged over 35.

You also have to be nominated.

In order to formally contest the election, an individual needs the backing of either 20 members of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) or four of the 31 local authorities.

Michael D Higgins was inaugurated as the ninth president in 2011, when he took over from Mary McAleese, and was re-elected in October 2018.

Higgins is not eligible to stand again as he will have completed two full seven-year terms.

McAleese is the only president to come from Northern Ireland.