Laois council has not backed presidential hopeful Gareth Sheridan

Laois County Council has not officially nominated presidential hopeful Gareth Sheridan to contest the election and a Fine Gael source insists the entrepreneur will not succeed in getting enough votes.

The 35-year-old Dublin businessman, who has appeared in public with one independent Laois councillor, made the claim about Laois council support at the launch of his campaign to run for election as President of Ireland in Dublin on August 15.

He needs the backing of four local authorities. Mr Sheridan, who is a former CEO of US-based company Nutriband,  claimed at his campaign launch that he had the backing of both Laois and Tipperary County Councils. 

County council nominations are secured at meetings where councillors are given the opportunity to back a candidate.

Generally, this happens at meetings where councillors are addressed by aspiring presidents.

No such meeting has taken place during the 2025 presidential election cycle.

A Fine Gael source on Laois County Council also poured cold water at Mr Sheridan's claims. The source told the Leinster Express / Laois Live that no such decision was made, and furthermore it is unlikely to happen.

"No decision has been taken by Laois County Council to nominate a particular candidate for President, if indeed the council will be nominating anyone at all.

"There is a clear majority of 11 councillors between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, who will be voting in line with their parties nationally.

"It would be very unlikely for either party to deviate in Laois from the approach taken by either party at national level, meaning that the chances of an independent candidate receiving a nomination in Laois are very remote," the source said.

Mr Sheridan announced his plans to run at the Tullamore Show where he met and was pictured with Laois councillor Cllr Aisling Moran who is an ex-Fine Gael representative.

Mr Sheridan is being assisted by former Laois Labour Party senator turned public relations executive John Whelan in a communications capacity.

The last time Laois councillors backed an indepent contender was 2018 when the controversial Gemma O’Doherty secured a nomination. She did not succeed in getting the backing of three other councils to get on the ballot paper.

She was one of three people who made a presentation to the council that year. Sarah Louise Mulligan and Sean Gallagher who ran for the presidency. 

He declined Laois council's support as he already had sufficient support to get on the ballot paper.

Mr Gallagher is a former director of Mr Sheridan's company.

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A presidential election must take place in the 60 days before President Higgins retires on 11 November 2025.

The shock news that popular Fine Gael candidate and former EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness was withdrawing her candidacy for health reasons, means that the only candidate so far is Independent TD Catherine Connelly.