Irish presidential election: Who are the runners and riders?

Michael D Higgins’ time as president of Ireland will come to an end in November.

Serving as president for over a decade, Higgins has been regarded as one of Ireland’s most popular politicians.

During his tenure, he pushed the conventional boundaries of the role with comments on live political issues – such as housing shortages and foreign policy.

Three candidates to date have secured enough support to be on the ballot ahead of the election on 24 October.

Other prospective candidates, which include some high profile names like Conor McGregor, have until 24 September to secure a nomination.

Sinn Féin have yet to announce if they will run a candidate.

Catherine Connolly is an independent who is backed by some left-wing parties – Labour, the Social Democrats, and People Before Profit.

She has represented Galway West in the lower house of the Irish Parliament, Dáil Éireann, since 2016.

Connolly has also worked as a barrister and clinical psychologist.

She served as deputy speaker of the Dáil for four years.

Jim Gavin has been selected by Fianna Fáil, which is the largest party in the Irish Parliament, and led by the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin.

Gavin is one of the most successful team managers in the history of Ireland’s most popular sport.

He led Dublin’s county Gaelic football team to six all-Ireland Senior Championship titles between 2012 and 2019. Gavin also spent 20 years in the Irish military and is presently a senior aviation regulator.

Heather Humphreys is the candidate for Fine Gael, the other centre-right party in the coalition government.

She is an experienced cabinet minister, having held a range of portfolios including justice, rural development and the arts before she stood down from the Dáil in 2024 after 13 years.

Humphreys is from County Monaghan, near the border with Northern Ireland, and is a member of a Protestant church. Her grandfather signed a petition against Irish self-government in 1912, when the whole island was still part of the UK.

Former EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness had initially been selected as the Fine Gael candidate but withdrew from the race over health issues.

Sinn Féin is the main opposition party in the Irish parliament, and the largest party at all levels of politics in Northern Ireland.

It has said it is still deciding whether to run its own candidate, or back Catherine Connolly. Senior members are due to hold a meeting on 20th September to reach a decision.

The Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she will not run.

The Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill has not ruled out being the party’s candidate if it does decide to put one forward.

Any Irish citizen who’s aged 35 or older is entitled to seek a nomination for the presidency.

There are two routes. A runner will secure a place on the ballot paper if they are endorsed by at least twenty members of the Irish Parliament, known as the Oireachtas.

There are 174 members of the Dáil and another 60 Senators in the upper house, Seanad Éireann.

Alternatively – a candidate will go forward to the election if they are nominated by four out of Ireland’s 31 local authorities.

Councils are holding special meetings, at which prospective candidates can make presentations.

Around 3.5m people in the country are eligible to vote.

The election uses a system of proportional representation known as the Single Transferable Vote.

Voters rank candidates in order of numerical preference. Counting will begin on Saturday 25th October and may continue into the following day.

The winner will serve as president of Ireland for seven years, until 2032.

At that point, they will be entitled to nominate themselves to run for a second and final term.

A number of people have expressed an interest in running as independents. Gareth Sheridan is CEO of the pharmaceutical company Nutriband.

Maria Steen is a barrister and campaigner on social issues, who opposed the legalisation of same-sex marriage and abortion during referendums in the last decade.

Peter Casey is an entrepreneur who came second in the 2018 presidential election.

The Boomtown Rats singer and Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof was said to be considering an attempt to get on the ballot paper – but it is understood he has decided not to pursue a nomination.

The mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, who is a strong critic of the government’s immigration policies, has also said he wants to run – but commentators and politicians say it is very unlikely he will become a candidate.

Several others have approached local authorities to make a pitch for councillors to endorse them.

The president of Ireland is the country’s head of state.

They represent the country abroad, take centre stage at major national events, and are responsible for ensuring that the constitution – the set of rules for government and politics – is followed.

The president’s powers are limited, but the office-holder’s influence can be profound.

For example, the election of Mary Robinson in 1990 – as the first woman to have the job – was seen as heralding a new era of social liberalisation.

Mary McAleese held the office from 1997-2011, during pivotal years for the Northern Ireland peace process.

Her emphasis on reconciliation culminated in a historic state visit to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth II.

Presidents tend to be among the most prominent political figures in Ireland – with the privilege of addressing the nation at Christmas and on St Patrick’s Day, and hosting dignitaries and citizens at their splendid official residence, Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.