The Taoiseach's special adviser, Dr Martin Mansergh, one of the key players in the negotiation of the Belfast Agreement, has confirmed that he wishes to stand as a Fianna Fáil candidate in Tipperary South in the general election.
Dr Mansergh, who is a native of the county, is to put himself forward as a running-mate for Minister of State Mr Noel Davern at a selection convention to be held next Monday.
Before becoming special adviser to Mr Ahern, Dr Mansergh had similar roles with former Fianna Fáil Taoisigh Mr Albert Reynolds and Mr Charles Haughey.
If selected, his candidacy could cause problems for the Fine Gael TD, Mr Tom Hayes, a farmer from Golden, particularly if Mr Tom Wood, a former Fine Gael councillor, decides to run as an Independent candidate.
Mr Wood, who resigned from Fine Gael two weeks ago, is from Cashel and could take votes from Mr Hayes in the town. Mr Hayes received 35 per cent of the first-preference vote in last year's by-election and performed very strongly in Cashel. Dr Mansergh, who is from just outside Tipperary town, is also close to the home base of Mr Hayes.
Mr Wood, a councillor for 22 years, told The Irish Times that he would be deciding whether to contest the election by the end of this week. He left Fine Gael, he said, because he had "lost interest" in party politics. "I feel I have something to offer," he added. "A lot of people are disillusioned at the moment."
Mr Hayes said that if Mr Wood decided to run it would be bound to affect him. "I got 70 per cent of the vote there the last time and it's bound to affect me. But I don't think people will be that anxious to lose a TD in the locality either."
Dr Mansergh said yesterday that he would not be giving interviews before the selection convention. "I received nominations last week from the Dan Breen cumann in Tipperary town and also Tipperary Comhairle Ceanntair." He was unsuccessful in an attempt to win selection in the constituency in November 1982.
The selection convention is just one of three remaining for Fianna Fáil. The Dublin North convention is due to be held on February 11th. Dublin Central, the Taoiseach's constituency, is the only constituency where a date has not yet been set. The delay has been caused by the failure to choose between two possible running-mates for Mr Ahern - Cllr Royston Brady and Senator Dermot Fitzpatrick.
Meanwhile, the Progressive Democrat candidate in Waterford, Mr Oliver Cleary, has withdrawn his candidacy because of ill-health. A party spokesman said that Mr Michael Flynn, a town commissioner in Tramore, had been retified as a candidate by the party's national executive.