The race for the Áras now as open as it was in the summer of 2011.

Áras 2025 as it stands: Catherine Connolly TD (IND) is now the sole confirmed candidate, backed by SD/LP/PBP & INDs. FG Executive Council to convene in coming days to consider a replacement candidate. FF & SF with no candidate or indications of if either will have one.

New: Former Minister Frances Fitzgerald confirms she will not seek the Fine Gael nomination for President. Via Irish Times Politics

POLL/POBALBHREITH - NI Assembly SF: 26% DUP: 17% (-1) TUV: 13% (+1) AP: 12% (-1) SDLP: 11% UUP: 11% (-1) GP: 3% AON: 2% PBP: 2% (+1) INDs & Others: 3% (+1) +/- vs. Bealtaine/May 2025 Via LucidTalk/Belfast Telegraph D: Lúnasa/August 2025 S: - #Ireland #NorthernIreland #Poll

Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly tells Anton Savage he will “reconsider” his position about contesting the presidency, in light of Mairéad McGuinness’s withdrawal. He will wait to see what the FG national executive “has in mind” before a decision. Virgin Media News

POLL/POBALBHREITH - President Humphreys (FG): 19% Connolly (IND): 18% McDonald (SF): 14% Ahern (FF): 14% Sheridan (IND): 3% Others: 5% Unsure: 28% Via @Ireland_Thinks/Sunday Independent D: 16 August/Lúnasa 2025 S: - #Ireland #Poll

New timetable for Fine Gael to choose a presidential candidate: nominations open at noon tomorrow for two weeks; candidates need nomination from 20 members of PP, 25 councillors and five executive members. Formal announcement/ratification at a special convention in mid-September

Sean Kelly tells Morning Ireland he WILL now seek Fine Gael’s presidential nomination. Virgin Media News

BREAKING: Heather Humphreys tell Northern Sound Radio that she intends to seek Fine Gael nomination for President.

FG Nomination Tracker: Our estimate of declared support among the FG Parliamentary Party at noon is as follows: TDs: 13 Humphreys, 1 Kelly (38 total) Senators: 5 Humphreys, 0 Kelly (17 total) MEPs: 0 Humphreys, 1 Kelly (4 total) Total: 18 Humphreys, 2 Kelly (59 total)

NEW: The current count of FG nominations is: Humphreys 33 Kelly 3 If three further members of the FG PP endorse Humphreys, it will be mathematically impossible for Kelly to secure the number required for a nomination.

BREAKING: Heather Humphreys will be Fine Gael’s nominee for the Presidential Election. Seán Kelly MEP cannot mathematically garner the nominations required to create a selection contest.

Sharon Keogan tells ⁦Meath Live⁩ she wants to help FIVE independent candidates onto the #aras25 ballot paper - Gareth Sheridan, Nick Delehanty, Aubrey McCarthy, Declan Ganley and Maria Steen meathlive.net/2025/08/18/bra…

NEW: A majority of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party would support Bertie Ahern as FF’s #aras25 candidate – if he’s interested in running. Dozens of members responded anonymously to a poll by Virgin Media News, with a majority demanding FF participate.