Independent Ireland has agreed to nominate Maria Steen to enter the presidential election.
The decision adds four TDs and a considerable boost to Ms Steen’s efforts to get on the ballot paper.
She needs nominations from 20 Oireachtas members to contest the election and currently says she has the backing of at least 17 TDs and Senators.
Speaking at Leinster House on Tuesday, Ms Steen said she is hopeful and is available to meet anyone and hoping to meet TDs and Senators before the nominations close on Wednesday.
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Independent Ireland met on Tuesday to discuss supporting Ms Steen after three of the party’s four TDs had met her on Monday night.
“We were impressed by her honesty, her candour, and her ability to clearly communicate her views and vision for the presidency. We were particularly struck by her determination to be a genuine voice for the people of Ireland who feel ignored and unrepresented by the political establishment,” a party statement said.
“As elected parliamentarians, we believe it is our duty to ensure that voters are given a real choice in this election. Yet the process of securing a place on the ballot has been deliberately made more difficult by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael at council level, which we regard as an affront to democracy itself.
“It is in that spirit, and after careful consideration, The Independent Ireland party has agreed this morning that four Independent Ireland TDs will sign Maria Steen’s nomination papers today.”
It is understood supporters of Ms Steen believe she may now have 18 parliamentarians ready to support her, including two who have yet to declare publicly.
Independent Ireland has called on independent TDs and senators to consider supporting her, in order for her to receive the minimum 20 signatures required before a deadline of noon on Wednesday.
“This is not about party loyalty, but about upholding the democratic process. Maria Steen deserves the opportunity to present her case, and the people of Ireland deserve the right to choose,” it said.
Earlier, Minister of State Marian Harkin backed Ms Steen to enter the race.
She told Shannonside Northern Sound she will be supporting Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys in the campaign. But she confirmed that she is willing to facilitate Ms Steen.
In a statement later, Ms Harkin said: “I have signed the presidential election nomination papers for Maria Steen.
“As a member of the Oireachtas I have two votes in the presidential election and will use both -one to nominate a candidate whose name can appear on the ballot paper, in this case Maria Steen, and the other to vote for my preferred candidate, Heather Humphreys.”
Ms Harkin said that while she does not agree with Ms Steen’s views on a number of issues, which she did not list, she will “defend her right not only to have those views but also to articulate them in a presidential election”.
The Sligo-Leitrim TD is the second independent Minister of State to say they are prepared to help Ms Steen to enter the race.
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Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae, a junior agriculture minister, is also supporting Ms Humphreys but has said he will sign nomination papers for Ms Steen to ensure there was a “fair and full choice” for voters.
In addition to Ms Humphreys, the only other confirmed candidates are Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin and Independent Catherine Connolly.
