Mairead McGuinness has been nominated as Fine Gael's candidate for this year's Irish presidential election, the party announced on Tuesday, July 15.
Fine Gael said that to be nominated, a candidate requires the nomination of at least 20 members of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, 25 Councillors, and five members of the Fine Gael Executive Council.
Co Louth native McGuinness, former Vice President of European Parliament and former EU Commissioner, was the only name put forward for the Fine Gael nominations, which closed on Tuesday afternoon.
McGuinness’s name will go forward for ratification at a Fine Gael party event in September, which will be the start of the Fine Gael Presidential Election campaign.
"The Fine Gael party is pleased to confirm Mairead McGuinness has been nominated as our candidate for the Presidential election and will be ratified by the party in September," Tánaiste and President of Fine Gael Simon Harris said on Tuesday.
“Mairead has secured the support of the parliamentary party and the wider Fine Gael organisation. I look forward to working with her over the coming months.
“Presidential elections are always an important point for the country. I believe Mairead possesses all the attributes to bring our nation together at this important time.”
With her tenure as an MEP, Vice-President of the 🇪🇺 Parliament & 🇪🇺 Commissioner, she brings a wealth of leadership, diplomacy, and commitment to civic unity.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) July 15, 2025
Her ability to connect with people from rural communities to urban centres makes her an ideal candidate for this role.
"Opportunity and challenge"
In an email to her Fine Gael colleagues on Tuesday, McGuinness wrote: "My sincere thanks to the Party for my nomination to contest the Presidential Election.
"I am conscious of the opportunity and challenge ahead, given the very important constitutional role of the President, and the esteem in which the office is held by the people.
"Subject to my candidacy being ratified by the Party in early September, I very much look forward to setting out my vision for the Presidency.
"And I look forward to working with you all over the coming weeks and months.
"The campaign when it starts will be full-on.
"I do hope that you manage to get to enjoy some down time with family and friends before September."
Other potential candidates
Meanwhile, Independent Galway West TD Catherine Connolly has declared her intention to run, and is expected to formally launch her campaign on Wednesday.
Connolly has won the backing of People Before Profit and the Social Democrats, and RTE News reports she will likely easily surpass the 20-nomination threshold of support from Oireachtas members which is required.
Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald, the head of her party, made headlines last week when she refused to rule herself out of the running. Similarly, last month, Sinn Féin's Vice President, First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill, also did not rule herself out.
Fianna Fáil, the largest party in the Dáil, has not yet clarified if it will run a candidate.
"We'll make a decision on whether we'll have a candidate or not in the early autumn," Fianna Fail TD Jack Chambers told RTE Radio One's News at One on Tuesday.
"That's a matter for our parliamentary party to discuss at that point."
Micheál Martin, Ireland's current Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil, has been floated as a potential candidate, though Chambers said on Tuesday he feels that Martin would prefer to stay in his current role.
Former Fianna Fáil TD Mary Hanafin has also reportedly expressed her interest in the party's nomination.
Elsewhere, Conor McGregor this week again called upon his supporters to vote for him, though it is unlikely he will clear any of the thresholds to land on the ballot.
Ireland's 2025 Presidential election
Ireland's presidential election must take place in the 60 days before the term of the current President, Michael D Higgins, ends on November 11 this year.
(If a President resigns, dies, or becomes incapacitated, an election must be held during the 60-day period that follows.)
To be eligible for election as President, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older.
Further, candidates must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas; at least four local authorities; or former or retiring Presidents can nominate themselves.
With President Higgins serving his second term, he is ineligible to run again.
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