TODAY IS A MAMMOTH day for presidential hopefuls wishing to get on the ticket, as the final local authorities meet to choose their nominees.

The fate of millionaire Gareth Sheridan, who has already secured the backing of Kerry and Tipperary Councils, will be decided today.

So far, he is just one of two people to receive the support of any local authority, with former Cork Mayor Kieran McCarthy receiving Waterford’s backing on Friday evening.

Sheridan is set to appear before Meath, Offaly, and Louth County Councils today as he focuses his efforts in Leinster, where he is understood to have shored up a proposer and seconder on each of the councils.

There is some uncertainty over his Louth appearance due to a failure by Sheridan to get the required documents into the Council on time.

However, a spokesperson for the presidential hopeful told The Journal this morning that their understanding is the issue will be resolved by tonight ahead of the meeting. 

Other councils meeting today are Monaghan, Cork, and Limerick.

Leitrim County Council will also meet to discuss whether to nominate Maria Steen, who presented to councillors last week alongside 12 other candidates.

Steen was put forward for consideration to receive Leitrim’s backing following those presentations, and her candidacy will be examined as a single agenda item by the council today. 

To get on the ballot, a candidate must receive a nomination from four local authorities or from 20 TDs or Senators.

Steen is the other high-profile candidate appearing before councils today.

Last week, Carlow, South Dublin, and Waterford City and Council all held their own special meetings on Friday.

Of them, Waterford was the only council to nominate a candidate, with a surprise win for former Cork mayor Kieran McCarthy.

If Steen is unsuccessful with her bid to receive the support of four councils, she still stands a chance to receive a nomination from Oireachtas members. 

On Friday, she received the backing of junior minister Michael Healy Rae, bringing her support to over 10 members. Today, she will meet with Independent Ireland’s four TDs in an effort to also secure their backing. 

As things stand, Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin and Independent candidate Catherine Connolly are the only candidates officially in the race.

Connolly received the backing of Sinn Féin on Saturday, with party leader Mary Lou McDonald saying Sinn Féin will “give it our all” to get her elected. 

A number of presidential hopefuls have consistently voiced their frustration this year over how difficult it is to get on the ballot via the local authority route. 

Fine Gael HQ issued a diktat to its councillors not to offer their support to any candidates, while Fianna Fáil, in less formal terms, also encouraged its members not to support any candidates.  

With parties choosing to back their own preferred candidates, the route to receive a council nomination is narrow, and so far, just three councils have decided to endorse any candidate at all. 

Despite the directions from party HQs, some councillors have chosen to back candidates. 

Last week, Fine Gael councillor in Tipperary, Mary Hanna Hourigan, told RTÉ Today that she believed the diktat from her party was “undemocratic”. She chose to vote for Sheridan.

The nomination period for candidates closes at midday on Wednesday, 24 September 2025.

The election will take place on Friday, 24 October.