FOLLOWING MAIREAD MCGUINNESS’ shock departure from the presidential race yesterday, citing medical advice, Fine Gael will now reopen the process for presidential nominations. 

The former Fine Gael MEP made the bombshell announcement yesterday evening that she would no longer be contesting the election for the Áras following a stay in hospital last week. 

McGuinness said it was an “extremely difficult” call but was adamant that it’s the “right decision” for her and her family.

Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris paid paid tribute to McGuinness for her “incredible contribution” to public life and said her pulling out of the race was an “awful shock” to party members.

It is understood he told Fine Gael members yesterday that McGuinness had been hard at work preparing for the campaign and that he had had many conversations with her in recent weeks about the election contest. 

However, she has been noticeably absent from major public events such as last weekend’s Tullamore Show and the Fleadh in Wexford, markings which other presidential hopefuls such as TD Catherine Connolly and businessman Gareth Sheridan attended. 

A number of senior Fine Gael sources told The Journal that they were totally blindsided by the news, stating there had been no indication this announcement was coming. All of her colleagues expressed their best wishes for McGuinness, stating that they hope she makes a speedy recovery. 

While Fine Gaelers wanted to remain focused on McGuinness yesterday, the spotlight will quickly turn to who will step in as a new presidential candidate for Fine Gael. While the party was first out of the traps with her nomination, they are now scrambling to find a replacement. 

It is understood the Executive Council will now meet on Sunday and the party process will now reopen.

Reopening formal nominations is an option, unless an agreed candidate comes forward, with sources stating they wouldn’t rule out that possibility. 

Former Justice Minister and MEP Frances Fitzgerald, MEP Sean Kelly and former Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys are the names in the mix right now. 

“The options are Frances, Sean and Heather,” said one senior Fine Gael source who said the next step is for the party to sound out a few people and then re-open nominations again. 

Those The Journal spoke to said Fitzgerald had given “serious consideration” to contesting the race, before ruling herself out in April. Most said they expected she might reconsider now. 

It had been expected that Sean Kelly might run against McGuinness for the party’s nomination, but in the end, he said he was “reluctantly” ruling himself out of the race for the Áras.

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While he said it was “the most difficult decision” he’s had to make in his political life, some within the party said they thought perhaps he was urged to not put his hat in the ring, so as to avoid party hustings between two candidates, but that he was very much interested in running. 

Humphreys, despite ruling herself out repeatedly since she left office, also emerged as a name some within the party think could re-emerge as a possibility. 

She also said she considered running but ruled herself out earlier this year, stating that it was for the same reasons that she left politics – she wants to spend more time with family. 

One Fine Gael government source said they believed Humphreys would surface as the favourite, followed by Kelly.