Maria Steen has confirmed that she is seeking a nomination to run for the presidency.
The barrister who is a member of the catholic advocacy group, the Iona Institute, was a prominent figure in the family referendum last year, where the government’s proposed amendments to the constitution were rejected by voters.
She previously campaigned on the opposing side during the referendums on same-sex marriage and abortion.
Ms Steen said that she is open to securing the nomination either through the backing of 20 members of the Oireachtas or via the support of four councils.
“I would be grateful for a nomination from either,” she said, adding that it is not easy for non-party candidates to get a nomination.
“Things will become clearer in the next couple of weeks I imagine,” she said.
Speaking earlier this year, she praised Iona Institute founder David Quinn for establishing a forum that saw the need for an alternative voice amid a “stifling political consensus in Irish media circles”.