Roscommon and Longford county councils are due to decide today whether to nominate a presidential candidate.
Both local authorities are holding special meetings at 11 o’clock this morning.
20 candidates have asked Longford County Council for their nomination, including millionaire businessman Gareth Sheridan, former candidate Peter Casey, and right-wing activist Nick Delehanty.
Sources say Longford council, where 16 of the 18 councillors are in Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, will nominate no candidate.
Conor McGregor, who was found civilly liable for rape, was among 21 candidates looking for Roscommon council’s backing.
However, he has announced this morning he's pulling out of the race.
The candidates are allowed to make their pitches to councillors today.
The councils are due to make their decision this afternoon.
Leitrim County Council is holding its special meeting on Wednesday, to hear from candidates, but isn’t due to decide whether to back a candidate until Monday of next week.
Candidates need four councils to back them to get on the ballot paper on October 24th.
Three candidates have already secured a nomination after being backed by at least 20 Oireachtas members – Independent Catherine Connolly, Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin and Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys.]
