LABOUR TD Michael D Higgins said he has received a positive reaction from party colleagues on his seeking nomination for the presidency.
The former senator and minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht said yesterday he believed he had the experience to carry out the role successfully.
He said he could bring something important to the office “given the circumstances in which we find ourselves”.
Speaking at the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting in Roscommon, Mr Higgins said he was talking to all his parliamentary colleagues about the Labour nomination. “I don’t take anything for granted, but I have to tell you the response has been very warm and positive.
“During the summer when I was making my decision to stand, it was really the wide spectrum of people from outside the party who contacted me that made my mind up. I am looking forward to the campaign.”
The final decision on the Labour nominee was in the hands of the parliamentary party and the executive board: “It is a very limited number of people who will have the choice, about 36 people, I have no difficulty in making a case.”
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning IrelandMr Higgins said: "I've looked over the summer in detail at what is the scope of the presidency and I want an opportunity to extend those debates that I have already introduced.
“I gave an extensive paper about an effective inclusive citizenship that is capable of critically analysing the way we run our society and the connections with the economy and the institutional structures and so on.”
Mr Higgins added that it was important “we have an adequate debate about what direction our country goes in”.
Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay, a former Labour adviser, has already announced his intention to seek the party’s nomination to enter the race to succeed President Mary McAleese next year.
Mr Higgins said Mr Finlay was a “very fine person” but that he had for some time been engaged in the debate his rival for the party candidacy was seeking to initiate.
Mr Higgins said that if he was elected he would only serve one term and would not seek re-election in 2018.
Others expected to put themselves forward for the presidency include: Senator David Norris, Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Mary Davis, who is managing director of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia.