LAST UPDATE | 23 Sep

AFTER A HECTIC day for Maria Steen, the Áras hopeful looks to be closing out the day three votes short of the required 20 Oireachtas members.

Steen has been in Leinster House today, holding meetings with potential supporters.

After an initial boost to her efforts, with Independent Ireland’s four TDs, junior minister Marian Harkin and TD Danny Healy-Rae declaring their support for her, Steen’s hopes of gathering more backers throughout the day seem to have fallen short.

The backing of Independent Ireland, Harkin and Healy-Rae gives her the support of 17 Oireachtas members – within touching distance of a nomination. 

Speaking to The Journal outside Leinster House following Independent Ireland’s announcement, Steen said she doesn’t want to take anything for granted but that she is hopeful she will receive the required 20 nominations before the end of the day.

“I am hopeful that the three votes will manifest themselves before this evening, but we’ll just have to wait and see where they’re coming from,” she said.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Six One News this evening, Steen appealed to undecided senators and TDs to meet with her tonight.

“Ideally, I would like to make sure everything is tied down tonight… Time is running out,” she said.

Jim Gavin smears

Yesterday, Fianna Fáil presidential candidate Jim Gavin hit back against what he dubbed “malicious smears” being posted about him online.

One of the main individuals behind the social media posts concerning Jim Gavin, former Waterford fisherman Kieran Kelly, claimed on X earlier this month that he had a phone call with Steen.

During her interview on RTÉ News this evening, Steen was asked about Kelly’s claim and admitted that he did call her.

She said, however, that she only learned of the contents of his posts about Jim Gavin when she saw them online, “the same as everybody else”.

“I got a call from this man. I didn’t know anything about him before. He is an American, Irish-American businessman. He told me that he is involved with other Irish-American businessmen who are looking to, I suppose, set up a political party I think in Ireland. I listened to him. He didn’t mention anything about any other candidates. I was unaware, as unaware, as everybody else of the rumours that had been around,” Steen said.

Confirmation from Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins: his party’s four TDs will be giving Maria Steen their nominations. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/gs7XxpRz6p

— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) September 23, 2025

Independent Ireland backing

In a statement, Independent Ireland said it was impressed by her “honesty, her candour, and her ability to clearly communicate her views and vision” for the presidency.

The party described its decision as “not about party loyalty, but about upholding the democratic process”, and giving the people of Ireland the “right to choose” in the election.

Independent Ireland added in its statement: “We were particularly struck by her determination to be a genuine voice for the people of Ireland who feel ignored and unrepresented by the political establishment.”

The party claimed that the process of securing a place on the ballot has been “deliberately made more difficult by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael” at council level.

“It is in that spirit, and after careful consideration, The Independent Ireland party has agreed this morning that four Independent Ireland TDs will sign Maria Steen’s nomination papers today,” the party said.

Stance on same-sex marriage 

During Independent Ireland’s appearance on the plinth today, TD Ken O’Flynn, who married his partner Francisco Cuevas in 2022, was quizzed on his support of Steen, who actively campaigned against same-sex marriage.

“She has her views. I have my view. She has given me certain assurances if she was elected as president, that she would work with the LGBTQ community, that she would be an all inclusive president, that she would honour the decisions that have been made by the State. I have to say she put forward a very good argument for herself. I was impressed by her,” O’Flynn said. 

He added that he would agree with Steen on 80% of things and that he believes facilitating her to get on the ballot is the democratic thing to do.

O’Flynn’s colleague, TD Richard O’Donoghue, interjected to say that he believes Steen can be a president for all.

“I’m a father myself and I have a son that’s gay,” O’Donoghue said, adding that the presidency is about democracy and having someone who can be president “for everyone”.

“It’s having somebody that can represent all communities from all societies and represent them, and she’s shown that she can do that,” he said.

Asked how Steen can be a president for all if she doesn’t believe gay people should be able to get married, O’Donoghue said Steen “has her views” but is “respectful”.  

Steen told The Journal that there is “definitely gay support out there for me as well”, adding that some members of her team are gay. 

“There’s a very broad coalition of people who are rooting for me,” she said.

Narrow route

Steen had become reliant on getting support from TDs and senators after she was repeatedly rebuffed by local authorities around the country over the past fortnight.

That route closed to her and other candidates yesterday – the first time in decades a candidate didn’t get on the ballot through the councils.

There had been some confusion surrounding exactly which Oireachtas members have committed to nominating Steen, with would-be king-maker Peadar Tóibín of Aontú keeping some names firmly under wraps. 

However, a number of Independent TDs, including government minister Marian Harkin, Meath East deputy Gillian Toole and Danny Healy-Rae, have confirmed this week they will support Steen’s nomination.

Tóibín claims that she currently has 18 backers, one of whom has not yet declared their support publicly.

It had been expected that the last unnamed Steen supporter would reveal themselves this afternoon; however, that has yet to happen.

Attention has turned to those who have not yet publicly declared who they will be nominating. 

Some have suggested that Independent Senator Tom Clonan may back Steen, however, speaking to The Journal, Clonan said he would not.

He said “Ethically, ideologically, politically”, he is not in a position to back her.

Speaking to reporters in New York today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin played down any suggestions that Fianna Fáil TDs could nominate Steen. 

“Within the rules of the party, there’s no leeway for people to nominate anyone else… Jim Gavin has been selected, and that’s it,” he said.

With reporting by Jane Matthews and Christina Finn