The Labour Party has formally agreed to back Catherine Connolly's campaign to become the next president of Ireland, saying that while it has had "differences" with the Independent TD it believes she is "the left" candidate.
Labour's executive board, which consists of representatives of different sections of the party and its parliamentary party of TDs, senators and MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, made the decision after a two-and-a-half-hour meeting this evening.
The meeting came after grassroots Labour members were asked for their views on whether to support the campaign of Catherine Connolly, who left the Labour Party in 2007 after a decision was made for her not to be then TD Michael D Higgins's general election running mate in Galway West.
Catherine Connolly has since said in 2016 that Labour has "lost its soul", a comment which while almost a decade ago has previously led to some friction between her and her former party.
However, Labour said that they would support her campaign after party members voted in a "clear majority".
The executive board and parliamentary party voted in favour of doing backing Ms Connolly in a vote which is understood to have been significant but not universal.
In a statement, which did not include a quote from party leader Ivana Bacik, Labour's TD for Dublin South-West Ciarán Ahern, who will now be the party's co-ordinator with the Catherine Connolly campaign, said:
"At this evening's meeting it was agreed that the Party should support Catherine Connolly as the Left candidate for the presidency.
"We are doing so in the spirit of supporting the development and growth of the Left across the country and demonstrating that an alternative politics is possible here, a cause which our party leader Ivana Bacik has led and promoted over recent years.
"While there are issues where we have differed with Deputy Connolly, we are determined that the social democratic values of equality, justice and tolerance should shape the presidency over the next seven years and follow the legacy of Michael D Higgins.
"We believe that Catherine Connolly shares those values, and has put them into practice during her political career.
"Catherine will make an excellent president, campaigning and advocating for the common good."
Catherine Connolly's campaign has already received the backing of the Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity and a number of Independent politicians.
However, while she was already highly likely to reach the quota of 20 TDs and senators needed to become a formal presidential candidate - the other route option being the support of four local authorities - Labour's support has underlined her credentials as the combined left candidate at this stage of the race.
So far, the only other formal candidate is Fine Gael's former EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness, who has been nominated by her party but will not be officially confirmed until early September at a planned Fine Gael event.
Rumours and speculation continue in relation to a number of other potential but at this stage unofficial candidates, in addition to ongoing questions over whether Sinn Fáin and Fianna Fáil will run their own candidates, support a different candidate, or remain out of the race.
The presidential election must take place within 60 days or less of the end of President Michael D Higgins's second term, which will end on 11 November.
This means the earliest the election can theoretically take place is 11 September, with an October date generally believed to be most likely.
