ALDE Party member Fianna Fáil selected Jim Gavin to be the party’s candidate in the upcoming Irish presidential election on 24 October.
The 54-year-old is a senior Irish public servant, retired Irish Defence Forces officer and former Irish Gaelic football manager and player.
Gavin won the nomination after members took part in a secret ballot vote on 9 September in Leinster House, seat of Ireland’s Parliament.
Ireland’s Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin had endorsed Gavin to be the candidate last month, saying he is "the person I think best placed to represent the Irish people as President".
“I’m standing for the Presidency because I believe in our country and I believe in the incredibly positive role which the President plays. I want to be an active President. A President who works every day to bring us together at home and who presents the best of Ireland abroad. I’m going to travel to every part of our country bringing a positive message of a President defined by service and leadership,” said Gavin.
The president of Ireland is elected for a seven-year term and acts as the head of state in a largely ceremonial role, representing Ireland at public events at the national and international level.
Gavin will come up against independent candidate Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys.