Independent presidential hopeful Maria Steen received a boost to her campaign this morning after securing her 18th nomination from independent senator Aubrey McCarthy.
In a statement, Mr McCarthy confirmed he would lend Ms Steen his vote but stressed that it should not be seen as an endorsement of her campaign.
“‘I don’t know Ms Steen and I have met her for the first time yesterday evening. This decision is not an endorsement of her or her campaign, but I believe that candidates deserve the opportunity to make their case to the voters, and the voters deserve the right to decide who is best suited to serve,” Mr McCarthy said.
Ms Steen remains two votes short of the 20 required to appear on the ballot paper, with expectations she will need to cross the line by 10am this morning.
Mr McCarthy described his conversations with Ms Steen as “frank” during an interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
“We certainly did not agree on everything,” he added.
The independent senator said he could not stand in the way of Ms Steen getting on the ballot.
Aubrey McCarthy pictured with President Michael D Higgins.
However, when asked if he would vote for Ms Steen, Mr McCarthy said he would “have to see.”
He added he would need to examine the campaigns of all candidates — Jim Gavin, Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys — before deciding on his vote.
Mr McCarthy said he had not engaged over the last few hours with some of his Independent Seanad colleagues, saying many may find his nomination of Ms Steen a “surprise.”
Ms Steen, a conservative campaigner and barrister, said on RTÉ News last night that she would welcome any politician breaking party ranks to back her.
Sources in the Steen camp said the possibility of politicians in Government parties backing her could not be ruled out.
However, speaking in New York, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned Fianna Fáil TDs and senators that there would be consequences for nominating another candidate such as Ms Steen.
Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil has “nominated its candidate” and there was “no leeway” for TDs or senators to nominate someone else.
He said the party’s rules already lay repercussions for those who defy the party whip.
Independent candidate Catherine Connolly said it would not be appropriate for her to call on other TDs and senators to back another candidate in Maria Steen.
“The question of who Oireachtas members should nominate is something for them to decide, and I don’t feel it would be appropriate for me to seek to influence them in this regard.”
She formally submitted her nomination papers on Tuesday, amid questions surrounding her comments about Hamas.
On Monday, Ms Connolly said Hamas was “part of the fabric of the Palestinian people”.
She defended her remarks but added she has repeatedly condemned Hamas’s actions “without hesitation”.
Catherine Connolly said it would not be appropriate for her to call on other TDs and senators to back another candidate
The Galway TD said Hamas is a terrorist organisation and “violence is never justified”.
Meanwhile, Mr Martin also said it was not a misstep by his party’s candidate, Jim Gavin, who appeared to suggest that Hamas could have a role in post-war Gaza if this was voted for by the Palestinian people.
He said it was “not the job of a presidential candidate to articulate everything a government minister says”.
Also speaking to reporters from the United Nations summit in New York, Tánaiste Simon Harris said the position of the Government in relation to Hamas “is absolutely crystal clear”.
“Hamas is a despicable, illegal terrorist organisation that has brought nothing but misery and pain to the people of Israel and the people of Palestine. It offers the people of Palestine no future.”
Asked about Catherine Connolly’s refusal to take questions at a campaign launch on Monday, Mr Harris said it was “good to take questions”.
“This campaign is coming in fast now, and we’re getting down to the [last few weeks].
“Posters will go up later this week, and nominations will close tomorrow.
“And therefore, obviously, the level, understandably, of media and public interest in the campaign will increase.”
Posters will start to appear across the country from Wednesday morning as the countdown to the election begins.