Fine Gael set for contest as Kelly and Humphreys seek presidential nomination

Two hopefuls have announced their intention to seek Fine Gael’s nomination for president.

Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly and former party deputy leader Heather Humphreys declared their bids on separate radio interviews on Tuesday.

Both had previously ruled out seeking a nomination when Fine Gael first sought a candidate, but said that circumstances had changed after the party’s initial hopeful, Mairead McGuinness, withdrew, citing health concerns.

The party has since reopened a process to find its candidate, with the nomination window due to close on September 2.

Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland, Mr Kelly said he was now “enthusiastic” about the prospect of running for president.

Mr Kelly said: “I’ll certainly seek the Fine Gael nomination.

“Unfortunately, Mairead McGuinness had to withdraw, and there’s a process now over which we can seek nominations over the next five days.

“So I would be looking for the nomination and after that, and if I’m nominated, I would be greatly honoured to represent the party and stand for election for president.”

Ms Humphreys, who held multiple cabinet positions, told the Joe Finnegan Show on Northern Sound radio: “I have decided to go for it, and I will be seeking the Fine Gael nomination to be a candidate for the president of Ireland.”

Ms Humphreys said she had previously ruled herself out because she was supporting Ms McGuinness, adding: “I wasn’t going to stand against her and that’s being straight about it – but as we know everything has changed.”

Ms Humphreys bid marks a return to politics after she decided not to contest last November’s general election.

Reflecting on that period, she said: “I think I was probably a bit burnt out.”

She added: “Last autumn, I knew the tank was probably running on empty, so I’ve been enjoying life since I retired from the Dail.

“The family are well, I’m well. I feel like I’m back to my old self.

“And I’ve said to myself more than once, you know, ‘you could do a bit more Heather’.

“And I was talking to someone who knows me very well at the weekend, and they said to me, Heather, you’re out digging and you’re working in the garden every day.

“Your energy levels that don’t seem to be your problem.

“So really, I’ve had a good rest. The tank is full again.

“And you know, timing is a funny thing, because I have never felt as good about taking on a challenge.”

Asked why he had changed his mind about the race, Mr Kelly said: “Obviously, circumstances changed with Mairead having to withdraw, and that changed the position – we needed a new candidate.”

Mr Kelly said he had previously underestimated the “grassroots” support he had in Ireland.

Asked about previous comments where he described the presidential role as “largely ceremonial” and stated that his preference was to be involved “politically”, Mr Kelly said: “That was in comparison to presidents, maybe around the world, who have executive powers – but I think actually there’s a huge potential in the job, it is the highest honour in Ireland.”

He added: “I would love to do it.”

Further pressed on previously quoting writer John B Keane that a day out in Kerry – by living in Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin – would be “a day wasted”, Mr Kelly said it was a “tongue in cheek” remark.

Elsewhere in the race, independent TD Catherine Connolly has secured the backing of Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and a range of other independents.

Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein have yet to decide if they will field a candidate.

Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher has said that a meeting of the parliamentary party should be convened urgently to discuss running a candidate.

He said: “Fianna Fail, the largest party in the Dáil, the Seanad and in local government, should be actively involved in either running its own candidate or facilitating a candidate that represents our values and beliefs as a political movement.”

His party colleague, Barry Andrews MEP, said there should be a meeting of the parliamentary party soon and expects one to be held within the next 10 days.

He said the next scheduled meeting is September 15, but added that “a lot of this to be settled” by then.

“I understand the Taoiseach taking an approach which is kind of characterised by strategic patience, essentially to see what else is happening,” he told RTE.

“Because clearly this is now a different prospect than had Mairead McGuinness decided to go ahead and run, and I wish her the very best, somebody I know very well, obviously from Brussels.

“We don’t know where Sinn Fein are going to go. I think the position that Billy has adopted is correct, but I don’t think it’s inconsistent with the position that Taoiseach has expressed consistently.”

Nutriband entrepreneur Gareth Sheridan, mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, and Riverdance star Michael Flatley are among other hopefuls seeking a nomination.

A presidential election is expected towards the end of October, as it must take place in the 60 days before the term of Michael D Higgins ends on November 11.

To be eligible to run, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older.

They must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas or by at least four local authorities.

Former or retiring presidents can nominate themselves.