Fingal County Council has voted not to support a candidate in the Presidential Election.
It comes after the council heard from two independent presidential hopefuls at a special meeting of the council, in order to secure enough support to get their name on the election ballot next month.
In an initial vote, councillors chose Gavin Sheridan over Maria Steen to be considered for their nomination.
However in a second vote, just seven councillors supported Mr Sheridan's nomination, 18 voted against it and five abstained.
Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour have the majority of councillors on Fingal County Council.
Fingal is the first local authority to decide on its position on a presidential candidate.
A number of other councils will make their decision on Monday.
A candidate must be nominated by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas or at least four local authorities to get their name on the ballot paper.
Earlier, Mr Sheridan appealed to councillors to make history by backing him as the youngest ever person to contest the election.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Sheridan described Fingal as a progressive, inclusive and future-focused local authority who, he said, he hoped would not dismiss his ambitions as outrageous, audacious youthful arrogance.
He drew parallels between his candidacy and that of Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin, pointing out that they both have no political experience.
He said Mr Gavin has "exceptional life experience" but he said his achievement was that of being one of the few Irish emigrants to America who had an idea that developed to a company listed on the NASDEQ in New York.
Mr Sheridan told the council that his achievement was as rare as Dublin's five in a row.
He spoke about his interest in highlighting the issue of housing in Ireland and said that while he does not want to be an antagonist for the Government, he wants to be a protagonist on this issue.
Mr Sheridan concluded by saying that the council could make a significant step tonight in allowing a 36-year-old to try and get on the ballot paper.
Candidates addressed the meeting before taking part in a questions and answers session.
Meanwhile, Maria Steen told councillors that she is not a professional politician but that she loves of the rule of law and the Constitution.
She said she has taken part in a number of campaigns in relation to constitutional referendums on a voluntary basis because she said she believed in what she said.
The role of the president is not only a guardian of the Constitution, Ms Steen said, but a diplomatic one and that she has always conducted herself politely and treated opponents with civility and respect.
She said she would do her best to live up to the dignity of that office and that she would respect the legal and customary limitations of the presidency, saying: "I have no aspirations to conduct my own foreign policy from the Phoenix Park".
Ms Steen spoke for a time in Irish about her fluency in the language.
Few people have an understanding of the political philosophy of the two main contenders for the election, or if they have one at all, she added, but nobody would have any doubt on where she stands on public issues.
Ms Steen also said the backing of ten Oireachtas members shows the credibility of her candidacy, but that she cannot assume she will be a candidate through this route.
Thirty of Fingal's 40 councillors were in attendance at the meeting - both in person and online - and were allocated one minute each to ask questions of the candidates.
Watch: How do local authorities nominate a presidential candidate?
Tóibín calls on Independent Ireland to get behind Áras candidate
Meanwhile, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín called on Independent Ireland to get involved with his party in the Presidential Election nomination process, in order to get another candidate into the race for the Áras.
It comes after a party hustings was organised by Aontú in Leinster House yesterday which saw ten votes committed to nominating Ms Steen for the presidential race.
Ms Steen requires ten more votes, or alternatively, nominations from four county councils.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Deputy Tóibín said: "This has been a really good initiative. I don’t think it has ever happened in Leinster House before where we have managed to get disparate politicians, bring them together and achieve a nomination process."
Mr Tóibín said it is worth trying, adding that a lot of politicians in Ireland sit on the sideline because they "do not think anything is going to happen".
"I respect Independent Ireland and they have their own process but I would encourage them to get involved, to pull those levers, to see can we get another person in that race."
He described the presidential race as "one-dimensional" at the moment, saying that there are two government candidates "who are very similar" and Catherine Connolly.
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"The Presidential Election is the competition of ideas, it is where this country nearly decides on its values at a given time and the president should embody those values coming into the next seven years," he said.
Mr Tóibín said there is a big chunk of people who voted against the family and carers referendum last year who agree with Ms Steen on "a lot of things".
"I think she is a very articulate, intelligent candidate and would make a great impact on that election," he added.
On two anonymous votes of support for Ms Steen within Aontú’s hustings, Mr Tóibín said they participated, gave a commitment to support Ms Steen’s nomination but "have to go back to their team".
He added that he hoped they would be making their support for Ms Steen’s nomination public "soon".
When asked if Ms Steen can get the ten more votes required, Deputy Tóibín said there are ten people within the Oireachtas who would have similar platforms to Ms Steen or have previously stood up to be democrats to select individuals "even when they don’t agree with them".
"I am asking anybody who hasn’t nominated anybody at this stage to use their vote… this is a constitutional power that TDs have," he said.
"It is a really important one and they should exercise it. They shouldn’t squander it at this moment in time."
On why he did not run himself, Mr Tóibín said it was because his party is doing "very well".
