The decision by the Independent TD for Tipperary North, Mr Michael Lowry, to launch a local elections blitz in his constituency is aimed at countering a strong Fine Gael and Labour challenge to his Dáil seat.
Mr Lowry is expected to run up to seven candidates, unprecedented for an Independent, in the June local elections.
He has denied, however, that he plans to form a new political party. "All I am doing is protecting my own vote," he told The Irish Times yesterday. "Candidates are running in the areas where I have my base vote."
Mr Lowry, a former Fine Gael minister whose business affairs are being investigated by the Moriarty tribunal, topped the poll in the last general election, and was elected on the first count. The other seats are held by Fianna Fáil's Mr Michael Smith, the Minister for Defence, and Ms Maire Hoctor.
Mr Lowry's 10,400 first preference votes represented a decline of four points since the previous election.
Next time he will be under pressure from Fine Gael's Mr Noel Coonan, who was elected to the Seanad after the general election, and Labour's Ms Kathleen O'Meara.
In the general election Mr Coonan polled 6,108 first preferences, and Ms O'Meara 5,537.
Tipperary North used to be a Fine Gael and Labour stronghold. Mr Lowry replaced the late Mr David Molony, who retired from politics in the 1980s, while Mr John Ryan held a Labour seat for some years.
Mr Lowry cannot contest the local elections because of the end of the dual mandate. Last time he topped the poll in the Thurles electoral area with just over 3,000 first preference votes. His 2.51 quotas were only surpassed by the poll-topping Labour TD for Westmeath, Mr Willie Penrose.
Mr Lowry's close supporter and fellow candidate, Mr Willie Kennedy, was also elected, having secured 937 first preferences. It meant Mr Lowry's organisation had taken two of the six seats.
In June Mr Kennedy will again run in the Thurles electoral area, and will be joined by Mr Lowry's son, Michael jnr., in an effort to retain the two seats.
Meanwhile, the Munster GAA council chairman, Mr Sean Fogarty, will run in the Roscrea-Templemore area.
Two candidates have yet to be named in the Thurles Urban Council elections, while one candidate will be nominated to contest Templemore Urban District Council.
Although an infrequent attender in the Dáil, Mr Lowry is an assiduous constituency worker with an attention to detail. He has a background of involvement in the GAA, and played a key role in helping to clear the debt on Semple Stadium in Thurles.
However, local sources say that without any prospect of ministerial office, his vote could go into decline, particularly if Fine Gael and Labour have the potential to achieve power after the next election. This would boost the profiles of Mr Coonan and Ms O'Meara.
