Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle O'Neill refuses to rule out Irish presidential run

Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle O'Neill hasn't ruled herself out for a bid to become Irish President.

In an exclusive interview with UTV, the Sinn Fèin MLA said the party would announce its candidate on 20th September and it was important its internal processes were followed.

She said there was an irony in the fact she can run, but can't vote in the contest.

Mary Lou McDonald said she would not be running for the position, saying she wanted to "lead from the front".

Ms O'Neill said it was not a given she would be her party's candidate and there were many who could be on the ballot.

"Whoever holds the office of president will do so for the next seven years at least. And over that period we believe that's the space in which we will have a unity referendum.

"It is important unity is at heart of election campaign itself."

Michelle O'Neill's comments come as the Assembly met for the first time after its summer break.

The Sinn Féin Vice President said she was committed to her role in Stormont and "delivering for the people... that's my focus".

She said the focus for the campaign was "fundamentally" to ensure Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael out of the office and the campaign should ensure how the following seven years unfolded.

The MLA said it was an irony, she could stand for the position but not vote for herself.

"That's the democratic deficit that needs to be fixed, and the government parties need to move to do so."

Asked about relations between herself and her partner in government at Stormont, the DUP and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly, she said they were "fine".

"As any four-party coalition, there will be challenges," she said.

"We have to navigate ourselves through those challenges and I think we do so effectively.

"Will we have disagreements? Yes, we will, but I think we need to move away from the point where every time there's a political disagreement that it there's a fear that perhaps the institutions are going to collapse.

"I'm here to make this work, I'm here to work with the other parties.

"Despite the differences, despite the challenges, I think where we're united is around the programme for government commitments, tackling waiting lists, doing more in childcare, all these things that we've committed to working on together in terms of our programme for government.

"I think that's what we're all here to do, and I don't doubt everybody's commitment to be able to do that."

On her call for Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to resign, she said she would work with the DUP minister.

"That was months ago," she added, "I made my point and so did he."

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