Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín eying up European elections run 

It is understood Mr Tóibín is considering the run as part of efforts to expand Aontú’s reach beyond the Dáil, a party source said.

“The thinking is, that issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, the health crisis, the housing crisis, the damage being done to the farming community and the commuter hell that is experienced of hundreds of thousands of people commuting into Dublin, are so acute that we need to use every platform we can to push back against the damage that the Government is doing,” a source in the party said.

It comes just days after the Electoral Commission recommended an additional seat be allocated to the Midlands North-West constituency, increasing the number of seats from four to five.

Earlier this week, EU commissioner and former Fine Gael MEP for Midlands North-West Mairead McGuinness confirmed she would not be contesting the next European Parliament election following “intense speculation” surrounding her plans.

Meanwhile, former agriculture minister Michael Creed is being tipped as Fine Gael’s top candidate to replace longstanding MEP Deirdre Clune in the Ireland South constituency.

However, a number of prominent party members, including senator Jerry Buttimer, are also understood to be interested in running in the EU elections due to be held next year, alongside TD Colm Burke and Senator Tim Lombard.

Fianna Fáil is looking to run a “dream team” of Barry Cowen and Lisa Chambers in Midlands North-West, while hoping to retain current MEPs Barry Andrews and Billy Kelleher.

For Sinn Féin, the party is looking at running candidates from the Seanad, with both Lynn Boylan and Fintan Warfield being touted for Dublin.