NO WEEKEND REST today for public figures with their eyes on the forthcoming presidential election.

Campaigning is picking up pace as potential candidates take stock of a changed election landscape after the unexpected withdrawal of Fine Gael nominee Mairéad McGuinness, who has taken herself out of the running due to health reasons after spending time recently in hospital.

Fine Gael is now faced with deciding who will replace her to run against left-wing candidate Catherine Connolly and others who may secure a place on the ballot between now and the official start of the election period.

Some potential contenders within the party include former MEP Seán Kelly, who previously signalled his interest in the role but ultimately did not challenge McGuinness’ bid, and former TD Heather Humphreys.

Speaking on Newstalk’s Anton Savage show this morning, Kelly said that given the “goalposts have changed”, he will “reconsider” whether to campaign for the nomination.

He said he believes discussions about who the next Fine Gael nominee will be haven’t taken off yet because it is “unfair on Mairead, having had such a trauma all of a sudden and having to withdraw”.

He said there will be time next week to “reflect properly on that and take action”.

Meanwhile, Catherine Connolly, the only formally confirmed candidate, has clarified some of her views on international issues, criticising both Nato countries for “warmongering” and Russia for its “horrific assault” on Ukraine.

Catherine Connolly launched her campaign last month. Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie / © RollingNews.ie

Speaking to the Irish Times, she said that Ireland should “resist” the European Union becoming “increasingly militarised”, adding that the EU has “lost its moral compass”.

The article referenced a Dáil session in February in which Connolly indicated, in the context of whether to keep or remove the triple lock, that Ireland “cannot trust” countries like the US, UK and France in terms of their foreign policy positions. 

In her new remarks, Connolly reaffirmed her position that “the US, England and France are deeply entrenched in an arms industry which causes bloodshed across the world” and said that “as a staunch advocate for neutrality, this behaviour must be condemned”.

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Connolly also criticised Russia, saying that it is “conducting an illegal invasion of Ukraine” and “must immediately end its horrific assault”.

Asked if she would meet with US President Donald Trump if she was elected, she said she “would meet all heads of state as mandated by the Constitution and the office of President”.

Gareth Sheridan, a millionaire pharma boss who launched a campaign this week but has not formally secured a nomination to date, took a swipe at Connolly this afternoon in response, accusing her of engaging “in a form of aggressive nationalism” and “attacking our long-established allies”.

He called her comments about the US, UK and France an “ill-judged over-step”, though acknowledged that we do “need the EU, the US and the UK to do more” to stop the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

“The Ireland that I would like to represent is the one which forged strong international ties on the world stage,” he said.