Ten Oireachtas members are said to have given commitments to conservative campaigner Maria Steen to nominate her to enter the presidential election.
Aspiring candidates need the support of 20 Oireachtas members or four local authorities to get on the ballot paper for next month’s election.
Ms Steen, a barrister who works within the home as a stay-at-home mother, has been seeking nominations through both routes.
A series of Oireachtas members gave commitments to back her today after a meeting where they heard from four presidential hopefuls.
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She said that after Thursday’s meeting: “I feel confident that I’m certainly in a better position to get to 20 [Oireachtas members]” and if that happens she will stand down from seeking council nominations.
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has been pushing for a caucus of Independent politicians to come together behind a candidate to help them enter the election.
He said 10 Oireachtas members have committed to nominating Ms Steen.
Mr Tóibín named eight of them as himself; party colleagues deputy Paul Lawless and Senator Sarah O’Reilly; Independent TDs Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan; and Senators Joe Conway, Rónán Mullen and Sharon Keogan.
He said: “There are two others who have given a commitment at the meeting that they will sign.
“They just have to talk to their respective teams and they’ll come out in the next couple of days.”
Mr Tóibín declined to say which other presidential hopefuls had made their pitches to the group of Oireachtas members that met on Thursday but “they can go public” themselves if they wish.
Former solicitor Nick Delehanty confirmed to The Irish Times that he was one of those that attended.
He said he’s glad the meeting happened and encouraged more Oireachtas members to support Ms Steen, saying “it’s good for me if she gets the nomination through this process” as he continues to seek support in local authorities.
Mr Delehanty said everyone at the meeting was “very collegiate and wants everyone to be facilitated on to the ballot that has a good chance”.
Businessman Declan Ganley also attended the meeting but did not confirm whether he was seeking a presidential nomination himself when contacted by The Irish Times.
He said: “I attended the meeting and I endorsed Maria Steen because I believe Maria should get to the 20 nominations and go on to win the presidency.
“The sooner the 20 nominations are in place, the better for Irish democracy and having a real choice of options on the ballot.”
Ms Steen was part of the successful campaign last year against the failed family and care referendums. She is a member of the Iona Institute, the Catholic advocacy group, and campaigned against the lifting of the State’s constitutional bans on abortion in 2018 and same-sex marriage in 2015.
She thanked the Oireachtas members who have committed to nominating her to enter the election race.
Ms Steen said: “Many of them may not share all my views, but they are true democrats, and they believe that the Irish people should have a choice other than an establishment candidate.”
She added: “I am an Independent candidate, and I look forward to representing the voice of people who feel politically disenfranchised.”
Ms Steen said: “I am halfway there now, and I’m going to continue working hard to try to attain the other 10 votes necessary to get into the magic number of 20.”
She also said: “I don’t want to count my chickens before they’re hatched” and she will keep talking to councillors at various upcoming meetings being held to consider presidential election nominations.
