Left-wing parties will on Wednesday intensify discussions on a potential joint candidate for the presidential election to be held later this year.
The possibility of running a joint candidate was first mooted by Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik in January, when she wrote to the Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan and Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman seeking talks to explore the idea.
Now a wider group of left wing parties are to meet on Wednesday to discuss the potential for a commonly-endorsed candidate. The meeting, scheduled for the afternoon, is expected to be attended by the three above party leaders, as well as Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and a representative from People Before Profit.
While no substantive discussion has taken place around the identity of a potential consensus candidate, Independent senator Frances Black’s name has been floated as a possibility, alongside Galway West TD Catherine Connolly, who has signalled her openness to a tilt at the Áras.
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Other political figures said to be discussed as potential candidates include the SDLP MP Claire Hanna, while Social Democrats sources suggested its former joint leader Róisín Shortall would enjoy support from within the party. Other figures from civil society are also likely to be discussed as potential candidates.
Sources said the meeting was an initial, exploratory step and followed “a few informal conversations”.
Ms Bacik and Mr O’Gorman are understood to have met to discuss the idea after her initial letter, although a meeting between the Labour Party leader and Mr O’Callaghan was ultimately not arranged. Wednesday’s wider meeting follows an invitation issued by the Social Democrats acting leader.
Identifying a candidate who would enjoy consensus support across the left, or even a subset of the parties involved in the talks, is likely to prove challenging. Ms Shortall, for example, is a former Labour Party TD and the party would likely harbour reservations about nominating her.
While Ms McDonald has indicated openness to the idea, it is also the case that her party has sufficient numbers of elected representatives to proceed alone if it chooses.
In order to make it on to the ballot paper, potential candidates must be nominated by at least 20 Oireachtas members or by at least four local authorities.
Donegal businessman and former Dragons’ Den panellist Peter Casey confirmed his intention to run in this year’s presidential election earlier this week
Mr Casey came second in the 2018 presidential election with 23 per cent of the vote, and has since unsuccessfully contested a seat in European and general elections.
The president’s office holds little power when compared with the executive, but recent elections have been bitterly contested with candidates facing a rigorous public examination of their credentials and their past, suggesting that those putting their names forward for this year’s contest would need to be ready for a potentially bruising race.
