LAST UPDATE | 18 Aug 2025

TONY HOLOHAN HAS said he will not seek nominations to run for the presidency.

The former chief medical officer said that, after being approached by a number of people asking him to put his name forward, he will not be throwing his hat in the ring.

In a statement, Holohan said that while he is able for the “tough nature” of modern politics, his family isn’t.

“While a number of different factors have influenced my decision, my overriding consideration has been my wish to protect my family from the kind of personal abuse which is becoming increasingly normalised in Irish politics generally and in presidential elections in particular,” he said.

“I understand the very tough nature of modern politics and while I am more than capable of defending my reputation and the decisions which I have taken, over a long career during challenging times in public service my family is not.

“I cannot now expose them to further distress, criticism or abuse at a time when we are all still rebuilding our lives.”

He said he hoped that the upcoming campaigns will involve “civilised and respectful debate and reflection”.

“We have been well served by the holders of this high office to date, and I wish the next President – whoever he or she may be – every success in the role. They will have my full support,” he concluded.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One this afternoon, Holohan reiterated that he had seen the negative impact of his public role on his children when he was chief medical officer during the Covid pandemic.

“I’ve had protests outside my house during the course of Covid that weighed heavily on my children; you’ll be aware that over the course of Covid, my wife was ill and died. I’ve had people put comments on social media that they’re glad [my] wife – and using much more colourful language than that – is dead and things like that. My children have had to see all of those things.”

Despite the fact that Holohan would have been seeking a nominations as an Independent candidate, he said that he was confident that he would’ve managed to secure enough nominations to make it to the ballot. 

He acknowledged that were he to campaign, he would have faced questions both over the handling of the Covid pandemic and the CervicalCheck scandal.

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The only confirmed candidate in the upcoming coming election is Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who has the backing of the Social Democrats, Labour, and People Before Profit. Holohan said he hoped the presidential campaign would remain dignified. 

Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD Heather Humphreys has confirmed that she is considering running to be the party’s nominee in the presidential election.

The decision comes in the wake of Mairéad McGuinness, Fine Gael’s first choice for the nominee, withdrawing from the race for health reasons after spending time in hospital.

The party’s executive team will meet tonight to map out its next moves.