Billy Kelleher seeks support to become Fianna Fail presidential nominee

Billy Kelleher is actively looking at becoming the Fianna Fail nominee for the presidential election.

A source close to the Ireland South MEP said he was speaking to TDs and senators and was happy with the support he was receiving across the Fianna Fail parliamentary party.

Mr Kelleher is a former Cork North-Central TD and junior minister who worked as a farmer before becoming a politician.

Reports have suggested that former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin could also be a possible Fianna Fail nominee.

Fianna Fail’s parliamentary party is expected to make a decision on the presidential election in the early autumn.

Earlier on Thursday, Independent candidate Catherine Connolly said political parties in Ireland which have not yet decided on whether to run a candidate for the presidency are “disrespecting” the constitution and the role.

Ms Connolly denied that she was using a visit to west Belfast to “court” support from Sinn Fein.

The Independent TD for Galway has already secured the backing of Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity and a range of Independents.

Sinn Fein has yet to announce whether it will support Ms Connolly or run its own candidate.

Heather Humphreys and Sean Kelly are in a race to secure the Fine Gael nomination following the withdrawal of Mairead McGuinness, while Fianna Fail has not yet declared if it will field a candidate.

That leaves Ms Connolly as the only confirmed candidate to replace Michael D Higgins in an election which must be held before November 11.

Ms Connolly denied her visit to Belfast was a “waste of time” or that she was “desperate” for Sinn Fein support.

She said: “I look forward to support from every single side.

“I would look on myself as a uniting candidate, somebody that can draw people together and unite on the basic issues which are important to us.”

She added: “I look forward to the support of all people and parties who share the same vision, that don’t necessarily have to agree with me on everything but to share the vision that we need a courageous president and a president that represents all of the people of Ireland in the most inclusive manner.”

Asked if she accepted her success in the presidential race depended on Sinn Fein not running a candidate, she said: “I never made my decision on the basis of Sinn Fein, or indeed any other party.

“I have made my decision on the basis of my own inner strength, my own beliefs, on my background, where I’ve come from.”

Ms Connolly said she believed Ms Humphreys has a “good chance” of securing the Fine Gael nomination, describing her as a “nice woman”.

She added: “I’ve been on the other side of the Dail asking questions of her repeatedly.”

She said: “I have been working on the ground assiduously for the last six weeks.

“The feedback is absolutely positive.

“I can tell you there is a disconnect between what Government are doing and what people are saying on the ground.

“They are crying out for a candidate with integrity and honesty, with an ability to communicate, with an ability to stand back from the consensus narrative when that is necessary.

“In relation to the parties that haven’t made a decision, I would say on a general basis it’s disrespectful to the constitution and the role of the presidency that the parties haven’t picked candidates yet for this very important role and that they are putting it off.

“On occasions it feels a bit like Lanigan’s Ball, I stepped out and she stepped in again.”