Mary-Lou McDonald ‘not ruling herself out’ of presidential run

Sinn Fein chief Mary-Lou McDonald has refused to rule herself out of running to become the next president of Ireland.

It appeared to be a change of position from March when Ms McDonald said she would not be running, and that she was focusing on work towards a future Sinn Fein government.

In June, Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill also did not rule herself out from running to succeed current Irish President Michael D Higgins.

Speaking in Dublin on Monday, Ms McDonald described a “moving picture”, and confirmed discussions with other parties have taken place over a potential joint candidate.

“We have conducted a consultation with the party membership, so I now have a report back from that on my desk,” she said.

“We have to do a bit more work, roll the process out, and 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.

“We have been in discussion with other political parties around the option of perhaps a joint candidate, supported by all of us across the left and a combined opposition.

“So, we don’t have full clarity on this, it’s a moving picture.”

Asked whether she would rule herself out, Ms McDonald said: “We’re in this process and we’re not ruling anything in or anything out.”

A presidential election is expected towards the end of October, as it must take place in the 60 days before Mr Higgins’s term 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 at least four local authorities.

Former or retiring presidents can nominate themselves.