Steen has 18 nominations ahead of window closure

Maria Steen needs two more signatures from TDs and Senators ahead of the presidential nomination window closing at noon on Wednesday.

It comes after independent senator Aubrey McCarthy said on Wednesday morning that he would “lend” Ms Steen’s campaign a nomination.

She previously said that she required all signatures by the end of Tuesday due to logistical issues.

However, the official closure of the window by which papers must be handed into the Customs House in Dublin is noon.

To be eligible to run, a candidate must be nominated either by 20 members of the Oireachtas or four local authorities.

The local authority route is no longer viable after most councils decided not to nominate any candidate, with the majority of councillors from the largest parties choosing to oppose independent hopefuls.

After Mr McCarthy’s backing, which he publicly announced on RTE’s Morning Ireland, Ms Steen now claims the support of 18 TDs or senators.

It follows earlier expressions of support from Aontu, the Independent Ireland party and a range of independents including two that entered the coalition as junior ministers.

Ms Steen, who was a prominent voice among those campaigning for “no” votes in referendums on abortion and same-sex marriage, said there was a “hunger out there for an alternative candidate from outside the political establishment”.

She also campaigned on the “no” side in last year’s referendums on family and care, which were defeated.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, she said: “Anybody who is willing to talk to me, I’m willing to talk to them.”

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys filed their nomination papers last Friday.

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly, who is supported by left-wing parties Sinn Fein, Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit and the Greens, submitted the documentation on Tuesday.

The election will be held on October 24.