Michael D Has Competition For The Presidential Election

Michael D Higgins' run for a second term as President of Ireland is not going to be as easy as he expected.

Sinn Féin has said that it will run a candidate to contest the election against Higgins.

A committee will now come together to select the candidate for the party.

This comes after Party leader Mary Lou McDonald said that she believed someone needed to run against Higgins.

Higgins confirmed during the week that he will seek a second term.

In a short statement, the President said he will be "offering himself as an independent candidate, under Article 12.4.4 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, when the Ministerial Order for a Presidential Election is made later this year.

"The Government has been informed".