Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly has confirmed he is dropping out of the race to become his party’s presidential election candidate.
His decision means former minister Heather Humphreys is on course to be confirmed as Fine Gael’s candidate after nominations close on Tuesday.
The party had previously selected former European commissioner Mairead McGuinness to be its candidate, but she withdrew last month for health reasons.
Ms Humphreys, a former Cavan-Monaghan TD, subsequently announced her decision to run and rapidly garnered the declared support of more than 40 colleagues.
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Mr Kelly, meanwhile, got fewer than 10 publicly declared supporters among Fine Gael’s parliamentary party, though he has indicated the overall number of backers he had was 12.
[ Analysis: Kelly was facing uphill battle Opens in new window ]
In a statement on Monday, Mr Kelly said: “Two weeks ago, I was pleased to put my name forward as a potential Fine Gael candidate to contest the upcoming presidential election, having been strongly encouraged to do so by grassroots members and local representatives.
“To have been selected as Fine Gael candidate for the most distinguished role in our country would have been the greatest honour of my life.”
He said he was “grateful to councillors across my Ireland South Constituency and elsewhere, to members of the Fine Gael national executive and indeed to my ’12 Apostles’ in the parliamentary party for the great support they have shown me”.
He said that while a contest would have been good for the party, it had become clear he could not gather the required 20 nominations from the parliamentary party to contest the selection process.
“I have therefore, reluctantly, decided to withdraw my name from the process. I know this will come as a great disappointment to my supporters, but I am happy to have put myself forward and unfortunately the ball didn’t bounce in my favour on this occasion,” he said.
“This afternoon, I return to Brussels to continue my hard work on behalf of my constituents in Ireland South at this critical juncture for European and global politics.”
In a section of his statement in Irish, he wished Ms Humphreys well with her campaign, praised her as a candidate and promised to help her to win the presidency.
