FORMER SDLP leader Colum Eastwood is considering throwing his hat in the ring for the Aras after being approached by people who want him as a candidate.
It comes as Sinn Fein sources played down the chances of Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill becoming the party’s candidate for the Irish Presidential race.
An election to find a successor to President Michael D Higgins must be held before November 11 but no candidates have officially put themselves forward yet.
Opposition parties have held discussions about coming together to back one candidate with names like Senator Frances Black or Independent TD Catherine Connolly in the mix.
Sinn Fein have taken part in these discussions but are also still considering running their own candidate to try win the Presidency.
An opinion poll last year found that the party’s First Minister in the North Michelle O’Neill had an approval rating of 55 per cent – making her the most popular leader in the country at the time above Micheal Martin, Leo Varadkar and even Mary Lou McDonald.
The Sinn Fein Vice President did not rule herself out of running for the Aras when asked about the possibility at a press conference following the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh.
Asked about Sinn Fein’s plan for the election, she said: “We haven’t concluded our own deliberations in terms of the presidential race itself.
“I think I have plenty to do being First Minister. But I think the fact remains that I could stand for election, be elected Uachtarain na hEireann but I can’t vote in that election.
“That is where there is a deficit and what we need to see is Presidential voting rights extended to the North so that Irish citizens in the North can vote for their Uachtarain.”
Pressed on whether she was considering putting her name forward, Michelle O’Neill said: “I am working our way through our deliberations as we speak.”
However, Sinn Fein sources told the Irish Sun that there is no chance that the First Minister will be the party’s candidate for the election due to her position in the North.
ARAS RACE RUMOURS
One senior party figure said: “She’s too busy being a fantastic First Minister” while another said: “No. That’s not being discussed.”
Another Northern Ireland politician who does want to put his name in the race for the Aras is former Social Democratic and Labour Party leader Colum Eastwood.
The popular Northern politician told the BBC that he has been approached by people who want him to run in the election and he is seriously considering throwing his hat in the ring.
Some reports had claimed that Eastwood was going to be Fianna Fail’s candidate of choice for the Aras race but Micheal Martin quickly shot down these rumours.
He said: “There’s been no contact with me and no engagement that I am aware of with the Fianna Fail party and that hasn’t been on the agenda at all in terms of Colum.
“I was surprised when I heard that this morning that he was considering it but of course it is open to everybody to put themselves forward.
“Colum is a very effective parliamentarian and has been a political leader in Northern Ireland for quite some time.”
