HELLO MARY LOU, GOODBYE ARAS AS SF CHIEF SAYS SHE WON'T RUN

SINN Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has ruled herself out as the party's nominee for president.

- BY GRAINNE NI AODHA and CILLIAN SHERLOCK

Ms McDonald said it was her priority to "lead from the front" in holding the current Fianna Fail-Fine Gael coalition to account and offer an alternative government.

She said it was worthwhile to test "every proposition" in relation to a candidate and said the party was at the "final" stages in deciding its approach to the presidency.

Speaking in Dun Laoghaire ahead of the party's think-in, Ms McDonald said the party was at the "final stages" of deciding whether it would run its own candidate or back an independent, such as left-wing hopeful Catherine Connolly.

She said announcing the party's decision on September 20, just a month before polling day, was "plenty of time" for a presidential campaign.

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