Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has ruled herself out of running in the Presidential Election.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said she had informed some of her colleagues over the weekend that her name would not be going forward to represent the party in the 24 October poll.
Ms McDonald added that she "needs to lead from the front" while in opposition.
She said: "For me, at this point in time, my effort has to be in respect of holding this Government to account day in daily, building with my Sinn Féin colleagues and with colleagues beyond Sinn Féin a real alternative as and when the next general election occurs."
At the beginning of this year, Ms McDonald ruled herself out of standing for the presidency, but that position changed before the Oireachtas rose for the summer break.
She then said that she was not ruling anything in or out, and her party would evaluate its options.
Watch: Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald rules herself out of presidential race
However, at the party's think-in in Dún Laoghaire today ahead of the autumn Oireachtas term, she said she will not be the party's standard bearer in next month's election.
Ms McDonald said the party's process of selecting a candidate for the Presidential Election was still under way, and that a "final proposition" will be brought to members on 20 September.
She refused to rule out Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill as a potential candidate, but added that "everything is still in play".
"My preference is that we call this right. At the risk of sounding repetitive, we have options, but I'm clarifying today that my name is no longer in the mix," she said.
Read more:
From Hyde to Higgins: Duties and limits of presidency
Ms McDonald also said her party's councillors will not be ordered to oppose Independent candidates who are seeking to run in the Presidential Election.
She said: "Our councillors are very sensible people with a lot of cop on. They will go to their meetings. They will listen. They will hear what people have to say."
The Sinn Féin leader said the party whip will not be enforced on local authority members for presidential candidates, but added: "We are all very active members of a collective enterprise that's called Sinn Féin, and we want our party to make the right calls. So that's where everybody's head is at now."
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Ms McDonald said the party would seek to meet Independent candidate Catherine Connolly in the coming days.
She said: "We still have the option of a Sinn Féin candidate or backing another. Catherine Connolly is now the candidate in the field and certainly, prior to going to the Ard Chomhairle, we will look to meet with Catherine and her campaign team.
"Catherine has great experience, she's a very independent-minded person, her commitment to social justice domestically and globally is well established and admirable.
"In the event that we don't run our own candidate, then of course Catherine, who is in the field for the last number of weeks and enjoys the support of colleagues from other parties, of course she is in the reckoning."
County councils to hear from aspiring independent presidential candidates
Potential presidential candidates have begun addressing Kerry County Council as they seek the local authority's nomination as a candidate for the presidency.
Candidates without an Oireachtas nomination need to be nominated by four local authorities and today's special meeting is the first of dozens scheduled by the country's local authorities over the coming fortnight.
Fifteen candidates from across the country have been given five minutes to address councillors, in chamber and online, and 10 minutes to answer their questions.
The meeting got under way at 1.30pm and is expected to continue until 6.30pm this evening.
Among the candidates are businessman Gareth Sheridan, barrister Maria Steen, retired school principal Dr Donnacha MacGabhann, electrical contractor William P Allen, and animal rights activist Gerben Uunk.
All candidates have been answering a wide variety questions from their fluency in Irish, to their views on a united Ireland and on the role of the president.
However, potential candidates will have to wait until next Monday to hear if they have been successful as that is when a vote on whether the council will nominate a candidate will take place.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council voted 22 to 15 to not nominate any Presidential candidate.
Mayo County Council has voted against a proposal to nominate Maria Steen as a candidate
Ms Steen was proposed by Aontú Clr Deirdre Lawless and seconded by Chris Maxwell of Independent Ireland. The motion was put to a vote and 19 councillors opposed it with five voting in favour and two abstentions.
More than 20 of the country's 31 local authorities will hold special meetings over the next while. Kilkenny and Cork County councils will hold special meetings on Monday 22 September.
Fine Gael has already instructed its local representatives to oppose attempts by independents to get a nomination. Fine Gael's candidate Heather Humphreys' campaign will be officially launched next weekend.he council, with Gareth Sheridan and Nick Delahanty among the other names who have applied.
Musk has 'no say' in Irish presidential election - Harris
In a post on X, the world's richest person Elon Musk, who owns X and is CEO of automotive company Tesla, criticised Fine Gael leader Simon Harris for "tyrannically blocking" the nomination of independents.
"Conor McGregor for President to save Ireland," he added.
Speaking at the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Mr Harris described as complete balderdash any suggestions that Fine Gael's instruction to councillors not to back independent candidates seeking a nomination to run in the presidential election was undemocratic.
There is nothing in the Constitution that calls on Fine Gael to support its political opponents, he said.
Mr Harris also noted Mr Musk's comments on the subject, referring to Mr McGregor by saying Mr Musk was backing a man who was found by the courts to be "civilly liable for rape".
"He might have a say on who is president of the United States but he has no say in terms of who is president of Ireland," Mr Harris added.
Mr McGregor has written to Fingal County Council asking to address its special meeting for Presidential candidates.
However, Mr McGregor will need the support of four councillors to be allowed to address the meeting, which takes place this Friday.
He is one of 12 people to apply to the council, with Gareth Sheridan and Nick Delahanty among the other names who have applied.
Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher and former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin will address Fianna Fáil TDs, senators and MEPs at Leinster House tomorrow morning to state their case to be chosen to run in the 24 October poll.
Following their speeches, voting will get under way in a secret ballot, with the result announced directly afterwards.
