Taoiseach backs former Dublin manager for president

Mr Gavin wrote to parliamentary party members seeking their nomination for candidacy on Saturday

The taoiseach (Irish prime minister) has endorsed former Dublin gaelic football manager Jim Gavin as the Fianna Fáil candidate in the upcoming presidential election.

Micheál Martin said Mr Gavin was "the person I think best placed to represent the Irish people as president".

Mr Gavin wrote to parliamentary party members seeking their nomination for candidacy on Saturday.

The election for a new Irish president has to be held before 11 November.

"Fianna Fáil has nominated people who never had experience as a TD or a minister, Mary McAleese, Douglas Hyde," Martin said.

Martin added he is keeping with the tradition of trying to position the presidency "above the partisan political realm".

In his letter to party members, Mr Gavin said, if elected as president, he would be "an active and positive one based on reaching out to every community at home as well as promoting and representing Ireland's values abroad, facilitating the use of the Áras [presidential residence] for the people and promoting Ireland's language, culture, education and enterprise to the wider world".

He added: "My commitment to you is that I will travel to every part of the country, working alongside you and the party's members, to promote this vision for an active Presidency and to demonstrate Fianna Fáil's resolute commitment to leading national debate".

Dublin manager Jim Gavin celebrates with goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton after beating Kerry to win the 2019 All-Ireland final at Croke Park.

Mr Gavin, who previously served in the Irish Defence Forces, was manager of the Dublin team from 2012-2019, when Dublin won six All Ireland Senior Football Championship titles.

He stepped down as the manager of the Dublin senior football team in November 2019, just over one month after leading the side to a record breaking fifth All-Ireland title in a row with a replay victory over Kerry at Croke Park.

On Saturday, academic Deirdre Heenan ruled herself out of the race.

She had been tipped as a potential Fianna Fáil candidate.

Posting on X, she said: "I've greatly appreciated the goodwill, support & encouragement regarding recent speculation around my potential candidacy for president of Ireland.

"I've decided that for now, my priority will remain on my role at Ulster University working to advocate for better healthcare in Northern Ireland."

How do you become president of Ireland?

To run for the office of president of Ireland, you have to be an Irish citizen and aged 35 or older.

Anyone who wants to stand needs the backing of either 20 members of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) or four of the 31 local authorities.

Michael D Higgins was inaugurated as the ninth president in 2011, when he took over from Mary McAleese, and was re-elected in October 2018.

Higgins is not eligible to stand again as he will have completed two full seven-year terms.

McAleese is the only president to come from Northern Ireland.

What is the role of the Irish president?

The president of Ireland acts as the head of state.

It is a largely ceremonial role, representing Ireland at public events at the national and international level.

Only citizens who live in the Republic of Ireland have the right to vote in presidential elections.