Former MMA fighter Conor McGregor has withdrawn his bid to run in the upcoming presidential election.
He had been seeking a nomination from local authorities to get on the ballot paper.
In a post on X, he said that following careful reflection, and after consulting with his family, he was withdrawing his candidacy from this presidential race.
“This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one at this moment in time,” he said.
To be eligible to run, a candidate must be nominated either by 20 members of the Oireachtas or four local authorities. They must also be an Irish citizen over the age of 35.
Mr McGregor said he would continue to serve people by using his international platform to promote Irish interests abroad, to strengthen economic opportunities, and to advocate for transparency and responsibility in public life at home.
“This campaign has sparked an important conversation about democracy in Ireland about who gets to stand, who gets to choose, and how we can ensure that the presidency truly belongs to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil’s nominee for the presidency, former Dublin GAA football manager Jim Gavin, is due to attend a parliamentary party meeting in Cork today.
Yesterday, Independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly said she would be “delighted” if Sinn Féin backed her campaign, when it clarifies its position next Saturday.
Ms Connolly currently has the backing of the Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit, Solidarity and some Independents.