Nominations are to open for the office of president on Friday and close on September 24th, leaving just three weeks for Independent candidates to secure nominations from local authorities.
Minister for Housing James Browne, who also has responsibility for elections, is expected to tell the Cabinet on Wednesday morning he will sign the Presidential Election Order on Wednesday setting out the timescale for the campaign and naming October 24th – the Friday of the October bank holiday weekend – as polling day.
The tight timescale means Independent candidates – including Gareth Sheridan, Nick Delehanty and Maria Steen – face a hectic few weeks of campaigning among councils as they each seek to secure a nomination from four local authorities to get on the ballot paper.
Several councils said they had received letters seeking an audience from between 10 and 14 potential candidates.
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Sligo County Council chair Donal Gilroy said there was a sense among some councillors that they should approve a nomination if a person made a reasonable and strong case.
However, some political sources said the big parties were unlikely to be happy if their councillors facilitated potential rivals.
On Tuesday former Met Éireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly became the latest surprise entrant to the race.
“Just before midnight last night, I sent in emails to the chairs of the county councils, literally all of them, because I have no reason to believe that anybody would actually take this seriously,” she told RTÉ.
“So I just threw the net wide and said I’ll see what happens.”
Fine Gael confirmed Heather Humphreys would be the party’s candidate after the withdrawal of MEP Seán Kelly left her as the only candidate.
In a statement to party members, Ms Humphreys said she was “delighted” to receive the nomination.
“I’m not promising perfection, but I promise honesty, compassion and service,” she said.
Fianna Fáil is set to have an internal contest to select its presidential candidate as MEP Billy Kelleher said he had enough nominations to enter the race.
Former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin enjoys the declared support of 24 members of the parliamentary party including Taoiseach and party leader Micheál Martin and all Fianna Fáil’s Cabinet Ministers.
So far Mr Kelleher has just three colleagues who have publicly declared support for him.
However, 42 Fianna Fáil representatives have not made public declarations of support.
A vote among Fianna Fáil’s 71-strong parliamentary party to select its presidential candidate is to take place on Tuesday by secret ballot.
“I’m very comfortable with the reception I’m getting and the fact that there’s quite a substantial number of TDs and Senators [who] have not expressed a view and are open for discussion, willing to meet,” Mr Kelleher told The Irish Times.
“Ultimately, I’ll be going to the parliamentary party confident that I will have sufficient numbers to be selected.”
Other party sources, however, said the momentum was clearly with Mr Gavin, who is meeting a group of TDs in Dublin on Wednesday.
