Sinn Féin has said that it is not ruling in or out a presidential run for Mary Lou McDonald, as Fine Gael opened its nominations process.
Asked this morning if she was ruling herself out of running for the presidency the party's leader replied: "We are not ruling anything in or anything out."
This is a change from her position in March, when she told journalists: "It won't be me."
Speaking to the press at the Four Courts the Sinn Féin leader said there is a process under way in the party around the presidency.
She said they are not making any comment on names that have been mentioned.
"We are not making any comment definitively on any of them, myself included," said Ms McDonald.
She said Sinn Féin has conducted a party wide consultation on the presidential election.
Ms McDonald said she has that report on her desk and added that they have more work to do.
She said that they will have a clearer picture of what they are doing by end of July and into August.
Ms McDonald also said they have had discussions over the option of a joint candidate supported across the Opposition and the left but said "we don't have clarity on this".
"It's a moving picture," she added.
Sinn Féin has concluded a consultation process with its membership on what strategy the party should adopt.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael will open nominations today for candidates seeking to run in the presidential election.
President Michael D Higgins' term will conclude on 11 November, with the election expected to take place in late October.
Fine Gael will become the first party to get the ball rolling in terms of candidate selection but it will not officially unveil that candidate until early September.
The nomination process will begin today and run until Tuesday, 15 July.
To be nominated, a candidate needs the nomination of 20 members of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, 25 party councillors and five members of the executive council.
It is expected that Mairead McGuinness and MEP Seán Kelly may seek a nomination.
The party's voting system gives greatest sway to the parliamentary party which will have 55% of the vote, while party members account for 30% and councillors 15%.
The Social Democrats and PBP-Solidarity now believe there will be a left backed candidate in the presidential election.
Fianna Fáil is going to make its decision on how to approach the campaign in late August.
