The chairman of the Dublin County GAA Board, Mr John Bailey, is to stand as a third candidate for Fine Gael in Dún Laoghaire in the coming election.
The surprise announcement was made last night in a statement by the party's director of elections, Mr Finbarr Fitzpatrick.
Mr Bailey joins Senators Liam Cosgrave and Helen Keogh, who may be upset by the decision to have a third candidate. Fine Gael's two sitting TDs, Mr Sean Barrett and Ms Monica Barnes, are retiring from politics.
There had been speculation that Mr Barrett, a long-standing TD who topped the poll in 1997, might reconsider his decision to retire. He had been asked to run again because of concern that the party might not win a single seat in the five-seat constituency.
However, he has ruled himself out, in part because of the objection of Senator Cosgrave, who had been selected as a candidate along with Senator Keogh.
Mr Fitzpatrick said Mr Bailey was a "lifelong party supporter and will be a valuable addition to the party's team". Mr Bailey, who is self-employed, lives in Killiney with his wife Angela. They have five adult daughters. The statement added that Mr Bailey's family "has a 250-year history with Dún Laoghaire".
He is a national coach for Gaelic games.
Former Fianna Fáil TD Mr David Andrews is also retiring and his son Barry is running instead. The two remaining TDs, Minister of State Ms Mary Hanafin and Labour TD Mr Eamon Gilmore are seeking re-election.