Derry academic tipped to be Fianna Fail’s choice for presidential candidate

A Derry based Ulster University professor is being tipped as Fianna Fáil’s candidate for the Irish presidential election.

The Irish Independent report this morning that Deirdre Heenan is believed to be in the final stages of negotiations to contest the autumn poll.

She would neither confirm nor deny the claims, but the paper reports that the former provost and Dean of Academic Development at the Magee campus is the preferred candidate of Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Professor Deirdre Heenan was formerly Provost and Dean of Academic Development at the Magee campus.

In 2008 she spent nine months as policy adviser in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

In 2011 she was appointed by the health minister to join a five strong panel of experts to oversee a radical review of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland.

In 2012 she was appointed to the Irish President’s Council of State as one of the seven personal nominees of President Michael D Higgins.

To be eligible to run, a candidate must be an Irish citizen and 35 or over. They must be nominated by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas, or at least four local authorities.

So far two candidates have been announced.

Catherine Connolly, an Independent TD for Galway West, has received the backing of the Social Democrats and People Before Profit, as well as independent TDs and senators.

Mairead McGuinness, who was a TV presenter and farming journalist before becoming an MEP and EU commissioner, is the Fine Gael nominee.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood has also been linked to running. Last month the former SDLP leader said he had been approached by people to considering entering the race.

It has been reported that Mr Eastwood had reached out to the Labour Party for possible support for the presidential election.