Aontú is “actively considering” running a candidate in the upcoming presidential election with a team in the party working on who the person would be and how they could secure a place on the ballot paper.
Party leader Peadar Tóibín said “this is a really important election” and “people want to see a president ... that represents their values”.
He said Ireland has changed over the last two or three years and “there’s a growing section of Irish society who are no longer comfortable with the political establishment”.
He said: “We believe that we offer a very strong alternative values system which a lot of people are interested in.
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“So we think it would be important for us to run”.
The election is due to be held in October after the end of outgoing President Michael D Higgins’s second seven-year term.
Candidates need nominations from four city or county councils or at least 20 Oireachtas members to get on the ballot paper.
Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin all have enough Oireachtas members to nominate their own candidates with Fine Gael leader Simon Harris already confirming it is his party’s intention to put forward a contender.
Aontú has three Oireachtas members and so would have to persuade 17 others to back their candidate should they pursue this nomination route.
Mr Tóibín acknowledged it is going to be “difficult” to secure a nomination, pointing out that most of the councils around the country are controlled by larger parties.
He said: “There are a potential number of Oireachtas members who might like to see a fresh, alternative voice”. He highlighted Aontú’s role in last year’s family and care referendums when the party was on the winning side, advocating for a No-No vote, and said the party believes it could “significantly influence” the debate during a presidential election.
He ruled himself out as a candidate but said a party committee has been looking at candidate selection over the past month as well as examining the routes for getting on the ballot paper.
Mr Tóibín said Aontú hopes to determine whether there is a “pathway open to us” and to launch a candidate by the party’s ardfheis on May 24th.
Meanwhile, Independent TDs and Senators contacted by The Irish Times have confirmed they would be open to nominating a presidential candidate, though just one, Dublin Mid-West Paul Gogarty indicated who it could be.
Mr Gogarty said “at present” it would be Independent Senator Frances Black “unless she has a massive number nominating”.
Ms Black has said she had been approached about running in the presidential election and she would be “open to the conversations”.
Her name has been mentioned as a possible common candidate among left-wing parties including Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats.
Meanwhile, Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly reiterated that she is “open” to standing in the election herself and said she has been “approached to stand by many people from a diverse range of backgrounds” and “it has been both humbling and inspiring”.
Businessman and Independent Senator Aubrey McCarthy has also said he is “open to discussing the possibility of running in the election”.
Independent Oireachtas members open to nominating a candidate included Barry Heneghan, Mattie McGrath, Independent Senator Gerard Craughwell and Eoin Hayes, a TD who is currently suspended from the Social Democrats.
Mr Hayes, who also noted “I expect my party will agree a nominee”, ruled out nominating controversial MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who has expressed an interest in running. Mr Gogarty, Mr Heneghan and Mr Craughwell also indicated they would not nominate Mr McGregor.
Mr McGrath said he will not be nominating “any of those who have already expressed an interest”.
Independent Minister of State for Agriculture Michael Healy-Rae indicated he will not be nominating anyone saying: “I don’t have anyone in mind to nominate.”
