The PDs are reassessing their European election strategy in the absence of an obvious candidate to run in Dublin instead of Ms Liz O'Donnell TD.
The party is keen to select a candidate soon but senior sources said its only interest was in running someone with a realistic prospect of taking a seat in Dublin. They suggested the party would not contest the election otherwise.
With many in the PDs disappointed at Ms O'Donnell's decision, the party's official spokeswoman insisted that its strategists were in discussions with a number of potential candidates.
"We are still strategising around taking a seat in Dublin but we haven't named any candidates," she said.
Ms O'Donnell was seen as a strong potential candidate. Her decision not to run has forced a rethink of the party's plans to showcase her candidacy during a debate on Europe at its conference in Killarney this weekend.
