LAST UPDATE | 18 Aug 2025

FINE GAEL IS to reopen nominations for its presidential candidate after a meeting of its Executive Council this evening. 

The meeting was convened to determine its next steps in choosing a presidential candidate following the shock announcement last week from Mairead McGuinness. 

McGuinness, who had been nominated as the party’s presidential candidate, withdrew her name from the race citing medical advice. 

The party has been left scrambling, with a number of names initially being spoken about as a possible replacement.

In a statement released by the party this evening, it said that its Executive Council wanted to send its best wishes to McGuinness. It said that it would be reopening nominations for its candidate from noon tomorrow, which will remain open for two weeks.

Any potential candidate will need the nomination of 20 members of the Parliamentary Party, 25 Fine Gael Councillors and five members of the Executive Council.

In the event of a contest – which at this point appears likely, given two Fine Gael politicians have stated they are “reconsidering” contesting the party’s nomination – an electoral college voting system applies for members of the party that have been in place for over two years. 

Tánaiste and party leader Simon Harris said: “Over the next two weeks, there will now be an opportunity for people who wish to seek the Fine Gael nomination to come forward and to engage with our TDs, Senators, Councillors and members from right across Ireland.

“This will enable us to have a candidate in place by mid-September, in plenty of time for the election in the weeks ahead. I wish any and all prospective candidates the very best.”

On Friday, after former Minister Frances Fitzgerald confirmed she will not be putting her name forward, MEP Sean Kelly confirmed to The Journal that he was re-considering his decision not to run.

He previously “reluctantly” withdrew his name, ensuring that McGuinness was the sole name put forward before the party.

The Kerry politician doubled down on his position over the the weekend, stating that he is “enthusiastically” reconsidering, with sources stating that Kelly is determined to run for the job. 

However, over the weekend, former minister Heather Humphreys also confirmed that she is considering putting her name in the ring, with senior party sources confirming to The Journal that Humphreys is the favourite among the top tier in the party. 

It is understood that those in party HQ would like to see a single name come forward for the nomination, similar as to how McGuinness won the nomination.

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However, sources state that Kelly is adamant that he wants to put his name forward for consideration among the party, with the MEP stating that people have told him he would have a lot to offer as a presidential candidate for the party. 

MEP Regina Doherty, who is a member of Fine Gael’s National Executive, told RTÉ yesterday that while she would like to see a contest for the party’s presidential nomination, the time to do so is “tight”.

If two names do come forward, the party will have to hold a number of hustings around the country before a vote is held.

The party runs an electoral college system, with power weighted towards the parliamentary party. 

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris told The Journal earlier this year that he would like to see a contest within his party for the nomination.