Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said he is not ruling himself out of seeking a nomination for president after expressing disappointment with the Fianna Fáil leadership for failing to express support for him.
Mr Ahern was at a Fianna Fáil event marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Éamon de Valera.
It comes as Fianna Fáil deputy leader and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers confirmed he will back former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin's bid to become the party's presidential candidate.
Speaking to reporters at Glasnevin cemetery, Mr Ahern said he repeatedly sought an answer from the Fianna Fáil leadership about whether they would support him.
Mr Ahern said: "I never rule myself out. If you never rule yourself out, you're still in."
He said he had been seeking an answer from party electoral officials since 16 December.
He said he did not get an answer and found it "very disappointing" to see recent reports that leadership would not support him.
Asked if this meant he was prepared to seek a nomination against the wishes of leadership, he repeated that he had not ruled himself out.
'I never rule myself out' - Bertie Ahern on presidential bid
Meanwhile, speaking to RTÉ News this evening, Mr Chambers said Jim Gavin "has my full support to be the Fianna Fáil candidate and I believe he would make an exceptional president".
Mr Chambers said Mr Gavin, who has not yet publicly said he is seeking a nomination, is a "person of integrity, humility and distinction with a strong record of public services throughout his life and career".
Mr Chambers added that "I understand Jim Gavin will seek the Fianna Fáil presidential nomination".
Mr Chambers' comments followed a similar confirmation of support for Mr Gavin by Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless.
Mr Lawless said the former Dublin senior football manager embodies public service.
Mr Lawless voiced his support for Mr Gavin at the Kennedy Summer School in New Ross, saying: "There is the role abroad, representing us on the international stage.
"I think we need someone who understands the multilateral order relationship between states, international relations, the modern world and the challenges of it.
"We need someone that at home, can embody community values, social justice, and we need somebody that can combine those that understanding with leadership and public service. For me, Jim Gavin embodies all of those qualities.
"He's given a lifetime of service to the State. He's provided leadership through his role in the Defence Forces, leading missions in China and elsewhere, as well as at home with Dublin GAA and the rules committee that he's headed up, and the North East Inner City (Taskforce) along with the Citizens' Assembly.
"He's proven his community values. I think Jim is exactly the type of individual we need to represent us." Mr Lawless said.
Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe also voiced his support for Mr Gavin, saying on social media platform X that the former Dublin senior football manager would make an "outstanding" president.
The support for Jim Gavin came after Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher confirmed that he is seeking the party's nomination.
Mr Kelleher confirmed his intentions in an e-mail, telling colleagues that he wants to set out his "vision for the presidency".
He contacted the party's TDs, senators and MEPs - a 71-person group which will decide who becomes the candidate.
"I am writing this e-mail to formally confirm my intention to seek the Fianna Fáil nomination for the forthcoming presidential election.
"While I have already spoken to a great many of you in recent days, I will endeavour to speak to the rest of my fellow parliamentary party colleagues today and over the weekend.
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"As soon as our internal process is announced, I am looking forward to engaging with you and discussing my candidacy and also my vision for the presidency," he wrote.
The development is not unexpected, as the MEP and former TD for Cork North-Central has been strongly tipped to be seeking the Fianna Fáil nomination in recent days.
However, his move will cause complications for party leadership, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin among those to have privately phoned TDs and senators in recent days asking them to back Mr Gavin.
Mr Martin is also understood to have spoken with Mr Kelleher by phone yesterday evening.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Kelleher said he thinks that it is important to have "a good debate" within Fianna Fáil around what the presidency is about, the values the party has and making sure they are well represented in the candidate that will be selected.
"But I think more importantly, this really is about the presidency itself.
"So a new presidency, a new era, and we have an opportunity to have a very strong debate, within the party, but more importantly, when the candidate is selected to go out and campaign about the issues that are important to Ireland."
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Fianna Fáil has yet to confirm when it will formally decide on a candidate.
However, it is widely expected that the nomination process will begin at a parliamentary party meeting next week, and will remain open until the middle of next month.
The only other major political party yet to confirm its intentions is Sinn Féin, which has said it will finalise its plans on 20 September.
The presidential election is widely expected to be scheduled for the second half of October.
Fianna Fáil should allow respectful process - Collins
Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins said it is looking "entirely obvious" that there's going to be a "process" within Fianna Fáil about a Presidential Election candidate.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Collins said the party should allow a "respectful process" to allow those who wish to seek the nomination to make their pitch to parliamentary party members.
"I spent last Sunday at the Limerick Show about four hours with [Billy Kelleher], and we're in neighbouring counties, I know him very well.
"Mary Hanafin has been in touch with me. I know that Eamon Ó'Cuiv has been spoken about, others have been spoken about.
"And of course Jim Gavin, who has a very, very high profile, very, very well-known, and indeed who would be a strong candidate also," Deputy Collins said.
Mr Collins said Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been "very clear" that he would outline his position at the end of August to the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on a potential candidate.
Deputy Collins said the party rules are clear that it is the parliamentary party's decision on who a candidate would be if Fianna Fáil decides it is running one.
He said he has not received any communication from party leadership about this.
Additional reporting Jackie Fox, Joe Mag Raollaigh, PA
