SENATOR FRANCES BLACK said that she is “not actively seeking” the presidency but is “open to the conversation” following speculation. 

Black appeared on the Late Late Show tonight with her daughter Aoife Scott. 

After being asked about rumours that she may run, she said that members of opposition parties had approached her to begin conversations regarding her openness for running for the Áras. 

“There’s been no decisions made,” Black told host Patrick Kielty. “People have come to me and said ‘are you open to the conversation?’, and I’ve said I’m open to the conversation, but there probably will be other people actively seeking it, and I’m not actively seeking it, but look, I am open to the conversation.”

When asked if it was the case that she’s been approached as running as a candidate on behalf of a number of opposition parties, Black said yes.

“I haven’t made any decisions whatsoever, and that is the truth.”

The only person that has confirmed their candidacy is Donegal businessman Peter Casey, who was a candidate in the 2018 presidential election, as well as general and European elections.

Former 1992 Eurovision winner Linda Martin said she is “mulling” over a presidential bid after being approached by a political party.

On the Mother’s Day special of the Late Late, the senator spoke about establishing the Rise Foundation, as well as the Occupied Territories Bill (OTB) that she drafted back in 2018.

Speaking on the OTB tonight, Black said that she is to meet with the Tánaiste next week to discuss the implementation of the Bill. 

She said that the Bill has to brought in “this side of the summer” and said that she will urge him not to water down the Bill before it is enacted.

“This is the only one tiny little step this bill is so important to the Palestinian people. It’s the tiny little step for the Israeli government to have consequences to what they’re doing,” Black said.

She is the Chair of the Anti-Apartheid Campaign for Palestine.

Black was elected to Seanad Éireann in 2016, making history as the first ever female Independent senator. 

The 64-year-old came to prominence in the 1980s when she began to perform with her family’s band, the Black Family. The band played a mix of traditional and contemporary Irish music.