After months of phoney war, the battle for Áras an Uachtaráin is finally getting under way.
Independent TD Catherine Connolly is to set out her stall for what she would bring to the presidency as she is expected to formally launch her election campaign today.
The Galway West politician and former Leas Cheann Comhairle – a campaigner on Irish neutrality, women’s rights and outspoken critic of the horrors in Gaza - is on course to have enough Oireachtas members backing her to get her name on the ballot paper.
With the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and a number of independents in her camp she may well have the numbers already.
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And while she has been drumming up support among politicians, there is set to be an opportunity for the media to quiz her on Wednesday on why she wants to be president and what she do with the highest office in the land.
There will likely be some tricky questions as well.
For instance, she can expect to be probed on a trip she took to Syria with former TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace during dictator Bashar al-Assad’s time in power.
In advance of today’s launch Ms Connolly continued her lobbying of fellow politicians for their support.
While she likely has the support of the 20 Oireachtas members she needs to enter the race, she met her former party, Labour on Tuesday.
As Jack Horgan Jones reports in today’s lead, the Labour Party said the meeting was “constructive and respectful”.
Its executive board will meet with its TDs and senators on July 31st to discuss and agree an approach to the presidency.
One Labour source said Ms Connolly had responded well to questions about her positions on foreign policy, viewed by some as a potential vulnerability on the campaign trail, but that her vision for the presidency needs to be clearer.
Meanwhile, the race for the presidency gathered pace on Tuesday with Fine Gael nominating former European commissioner Mairead McGuinness to be its candidate.
There are also moves under way from Aontú to organise a nomination, via the support of at least 20 Oireachtas members, of another Independent candidate.
And businessman Declan Ganley was said to be contacting TDs and Senators about support for a potential presidential run.
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin are expected to continue deliberations on their approach to the presidential race in the weeks ahead.
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Playbook
Deputies have an opportunity to raise Topical Issues in the Dáil from 9am.
There is an Opposition motion on dental services from the Independent and Parties Technical Group which will be debated at 10am.
Leaders’ Questions is at noon.
Government Business in the afternoon (after 2.12pm) includes the second stage debate on the Health (Amendment) Bill 2025 on governance arrangements for the Health Service Executive as well as statements on Pride.
There will be Dáil votes from 11.12pm onwards.
The Senad will consider a Government motion to approve the draft order on the Commission of Investigation the Commission of Investigation on the handling of historical child sexual abuse in schools. This is happening at 1pm.
Senators will make statements on sport from 3pm.
It is another busy day in the committees.
The Committee on Social Protection will hear from the Department on the planned auto-enrolment retirement savings scheme from 9.30am.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill is due before the Committee on Health at 9.30am in relation to the Health Information Bill 2024 on patient’s personal health data and digital records.
The Committee on Disability Matters is looking at participation in political and public life and will have an opportunity to quiz academics and representatives of the Electoral Commission from 9.30am.
The Committee on Transport is to get an overview of the work of the Irish Aviation Authority from 9.30am.
School transport is the topic for the Committee on Education with representatives of the Department of Education and Bus Éireann due in from 12.30pm.
The Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy is meeting the electricity sector on Ireland’s climate change targets at 12.30pm.
The Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is examining competitiveness and the cost of doing business in Ireland. The Small Firms Association, the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association of Ireland are all due to appear from 12.30pm.
Minister of State for forestry Michael Healy-Rae is due before the Committee on Agriculture to answer questions on Ash dieback and other issues from 3.30pm.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will continues its pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme: Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 from 6:30pm.
The full Dáil, Seanad and committees schedule can be found here.
