Heather rules our run for the Aras

Former Fine Gael Deputy Leader and minister Heather Humphreys has confirmed she will not seek her party’s nomination to stand as a candidate this year’s presidential election.

The former Cavan-Monaghan TD has stated that she gave the opportunity some serious consideration, but is ruling herself out for much the same reasons sas he opted not to contest last year's general election.

The Drum native stepped away from the cut and thrust of day-to-day political life to spent more time with family.

She had stated that she has been working full-time for 47 years- in the banking sector and later politics.

She said she had been honoured by the vast number of people who had approached her to encourage her to stand to replace Michael D Higgins in the Phoenix Park.

"I have given it a lot of consideration and a lot of thought, and while it’s very flattering and it's a great honour to be considered for the highest office in the land, I’ve decided that I’ll not be running for the presidency.

"It’s for the same reasons that I left politics I want to spend more time with family and friends, and I want to do other things."

Another former Fine Gael minister Frances Fitzgerald has also ruled out runingn for Áras an Uachtaráin, with former EU Commissioner and Vice President of the European Parliament, Meath woman Mairead McGuinness, now emerging as a front-runner to get Fine Gael nomination.