Former taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern has withdrawn from the running to be the next President of Ireland.
In an online message to supporters, Mr Ahern outlined his reasons for stepping back.
Just last week, the taoiseach from 1997 to 2008 did not rule himself out, despite the emergence of Jim Gavin as the preference of the leadership of the Fianna Fáil party.
In the message, Mr Ahern also claimed current Taoiseach Micheál Martin is “anti-me” and spoke of the economy and the Mahon Tribunal.
Outlining his reasons for not continuing with a bid for Áras an Uachtaráin, Mr Ahern said: “I suppose [Micheál Martin] saw in his view that there was a candidate 20 years younger and somebody from outside the party.
“In all my time in Fianna Fáil, I’ve never seen a period where the leadership really lose out in these things.”
Bertie Ahern had recently expressed disappointment that he would not be considered by Fianna Fáil for the presidency
Mr Ahern also ruled out running as an independent candidate.
“As a former leader of the party, I respect Fianna Fáil and its legacy far too much to even consider that independent idea,” he said.
“I’ve always been a Fianna Fáil person.
“I suppose the only area where [Micheál Martin] has indicated in the past why he was anti-me was the Mahon Tribunal and the economy.”
He added: “I don’t think we can say too much about the economy because we were all in it together, trying to make sure the economy was the best we could.
“The reality is that the economy from ’97 to today has grown practically nearly every year bar the years of the international recession which was a worldwide recession.”
Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North-West Paul McAuliffe said Bertie Ahern “made a calculation” that he could not secure the nomination for president within the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
Deputy McAuliffe said: “Bertie’s been around a long time, there’s no doubt he would have been a hugely qualified candidate, he has huge international experience, and there’s no doubt his work on the Good Friday Agreement would have stood to him.
“But he’s made that calculation that he can’t secure a nomination through the parliamentary party.”
Deputy McAuliffe is backing Jim Gavin for the nomination, saying “you pick someone who resonates with you”.
He said Fianna Fáil will support the candidate that it chooses in a secret ballot of the parliamentary party next week, whether Jim Gavin or MEP Billy Kelleher MEP.
Listen: Bertie Ahern pulls out of Áras race, would not run as an Independent
Two people set to meet criteria as Fianna Fáil nominations to close
It comes as nominations to become Fianna Fáil’s presidential election candidate close at 5pm this evening.
It is expected that two people will have met the criteria of securing support from not less than five members of the parliamentary party – former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin and Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher.
If, as expected, Mr Gavin and Mr Kelleher meet the bar for participation in this contest, 71 Fianna Fáil TDs, Senators and MEPs will gather on the fifth floor of Leinster House next Tuesday at 11.30am.
The duly nominated candidates will be called, in alphabetical order, to address the meeting for ten minutes each.
After that, rather than a question and answer session, the nominees leave the room and voting, by proportional representation, gets under way immediately – with the result announced directly afterwards.
Mr Gavin has been strongly supported by Mr Martin and senior Cabinet ministers and has secured substantially more endorsements than Mr Kelleher.
However, the vote is a secret ballot.
The outcome should be known by Tuesday lunchtime.