Former Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall has indicated she is not interested in being a consensus candidate backed by left-wing parties for the presidency.
The former Dublin North West TD’s name had been linked to a potential run by some within her former party, amid talks between the Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit, the Green Party and Sinn Féin over potentially identifying a common candidate.
However, it is understood that Ms Shortall has let her former party colleagues know she would not be interested. As a former Labour Party TD and minister of state who resigned from the party during its time in government from 2011-2016, her potential candidacy could have proved divisive.
Representatives of the five parties met on Wednesday in Leinster House to discuss the potential for a common candidate. Sources afterwards indicated that some present expressed the view that a chosen candidate could not come from a party political background if they were to successfully attract endorsement from all parties. However, others present were said to be silent on this suggestion.
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Along with Ms Shortall, political names linked to a potential candidacy include Independent Senator Frances Black, SDLP MP Claire Hanna and Independent TD Catherine Connolly.
The parties have agreed to reflect on the position and meet again for further talks in two weeks' time.
While talks are at a preliminary stage only and no decision has been taken to move forward, with no substantive discussion of a potential candidate either, a source at the meeting said that the idea was being seriously entertained.
“The people in the room were serious about pushing this on,” this person said. A second source said that the candidate would need to be a person of depth with broad appeal, with a third saying that it was a “productive discussion”.
In order to make it on to the ballot paper, potential candidates must be nominated by at least 20 Oireachtas members or by at least four local authorities.
