The Progressive Democrats regarded Bobby Molloy as a major catch when he defected from Fianna Fail to join them in what was for the PDs the heady year of 1986. A former minister with a secure Dail seat in Galway West, he was seen as quintessential Fianna Fail, and his decision to leave shocked his former party, which was then led by Charles Haughey.
Now, with most of the Government's term over, the PDs are hoping Mr Molloy will run again. With a cloud of uncertainty hanging over its electoral future, Mr Molloy, who is Minister of State for the Environment, is seen as having one of the party's more secure seats.
He is tight-lipped about his plans, declining to discuss them with journalists and known to show some irritation when they are raised by colleagues. Some party sources believe he may be tempted to run for a last time, if the party's standing is high and it seems likely to do well.
"If Bobby decides to stand down, it could be an ominous sign," said a party source. Should Mr Molloy retire, it is unlikely that the party would retain the Galway West seat.
Although youthful in appearance and a hard-working politician, 63-years-old Mr Molloy may think it is time to call it a day. He has been a TD for 35 years, an indication of his long service being that Sean Lemass was Taoiseach when he was first elected to the Dail.
He was promoted to ministerial office by Jack Lynch, but was dropped when Mr Haughey took over as party leader and Taoiseach in 1979.
Once a poll-topper, Mr Molloy's vote in Galway West has been declining. Although his 5,914 first preferences in the last election represented the highest individual vote for the party, it was his lowest ever.
Nevertheless, he comfortably held his seat, polling an impressive 14.9 per cent of the vote in Galway city.
The other four seats were taken by poll-topper Mr Frank Fahey, replacing Maire Geoghegan-Quinn who had retired, and Eamon O Cuiv, for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael's Padraic McCormack and Labour's Michael D. Higgins.
If Mr Molloy runs again, he is likely to hold his seat, given his ministerial profile and his attention to constituency matters.
In last year's local elections, the party did well to hold its four seats in Galway County Borough, despite the retirement of two of its well-known councillors, Bridie O'Flaherty, a former lord mayor of Galway, and Martin Connolly.
If he retires, Fianna Fail, with 46 per cent of the vote in 1997, could well take a third seat. Senator Margaret Cox, who secured close to 3,000 first preferences then, would be the front-runner.
Mr Fahey, the Minister for the Marine, and Mr O Cuiv, the Minister of State for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (known as "Dev Og"), are likely to battle it out to head the poll.