Who might be on the presidential election ballot papers?

PÁDRAIG Ó CÉIDIGH (60)

.Independent Senator appointed by taoiseach enda Kenny in May 2016, Mr Ó Céidigh is the founder of Aer Arann express and Aer Lingus Regional. He claims to have created over 1,000 full-time jobs in Ireland.

ÉAMON Ó CUÍV (67)

First elected to the dáil in 1992, the Fianna Fáil td for Galway West is the grandson of former president eamon de Valera. He appointed the State’s first Irish language commissioner as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

FRANCES FITZGERALD (67)

The Fine Gael td for dublin MidWest and two-term tánaiste lost her Justice portfolio in the summer. She had a happier spell as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

ENDA KENNY (66)

‘the most successful leader in the history of the Fine Gael party,’ according to his own website, he was the party’s longest-serving taoiseach from March 2011 until June 2017. A td for 42 years, Kenny was, until recently, tipped to become the president of the european Council.

MICHAEL FITZMAURICE (48)

The td from RoscommonSouth Leitrim, and member of the Independent Alliance, succeeded Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan in a 2014 by-election. He has said he is interested in the Áras job.

GERARD CRAUGHWELL (63)

A former member of both the British Army and the Irish defence Forces, the Independent Senator is a teacher and past president of the teachers’ Union of Ireland. He has said that he will run for office if President Higgins seeks a second term.

MIRIAM O’CALLAGHAN (57)

The RTÉ presenter, right, was mooted as a candidate in 2010. She said becoming President ‘would be such an extraordinary and unimaginable honour that I wouldn’t dare talk about it’.