Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness has ruled herself out of the running to be President.
The former EU Commissioner had been the favourite to replace Michael D Higgins but has pulled out of the race on health grounds after spending time in hospital last week.
In a shock statement this afternoon the former EU Commissioner said she was doing so on medical advice.
She said she doesn't believe she has the strength to give the campaign her all.
As the party will now turn to see who will replace Ms McGuinness potential replacements now include former MEP Seán Kelly, former Justice Minister and MEP Frances Fitzgerald, and former Minister for Social Protection and Rural Affairs and former Cavan Monaghan TD Heather Humphreys.
Former Minister Heather Humphreys ruled out a bid for the presidential election at the end of May.
At the time speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show , the former Cavan-Monaghan TD said she gave it serious thought after opting not to run again for the Dáil.
At the time she said that she is enjoying her time away from politics, and ultimately decided that a bid for the Áras was not the right move for her.
But with time now not on Fine Gael’s side and also no move as of yet from Fianna Fáil and Sinn Fein in relation to having a candidate on the ticket or not come November, is Heather Humphreys going to have a change of mind and put herself down for a tip at the big job - time will tell.
As of now she has not indicated if she may consider now making that bid.
Simon Harris confirmed earlier that The Fine Gael Executive Council will meet in the coming days to discuss the next steps,
Catherine Connolly described the withdrawal of Mairead McGuinness who is 66 years of age as a ‘shock’.
In a statement the Independent candidate extended her best wishes to the Louth woman, saying it “could not have been an easy decision to make”.
