Hopes that Fine Gael will regain a second seat in the East Limerick constituency of the party leader, Mr Michael Noonan, have received a setback following the announcement that a former prominent party member will run as an independent there.
Cllr Pat Kennedy, a poll-topping candidate in his ward, decided this week to leave the party after failing to receive a nomination to run in the five-seater constituency. He said the 170 party members in his local branch, the John Carew cumann, were behind him, and contended that three candidates running for two seats was the best strategy for the party. A barrister and former senator, he last ran as a candidate in 1982.
The constituency currently has two Fianna Fáil deputies, Mr Willie O'Dea and Mr Eddie Wade, one Labour deputy, Ms Jan O'Sullivan, one Progressive Democrat, Mr Des O'Malley, and Mr Noonan as the single Fine Gael TD.
The retirement of Mr O'Malley at the next election has put his seat up for grabs in East Limerick, a key marginal constituency in Mr Noonan's strategy to increase his party's 1997 complement of 54, and a symbolic one, it being his homeplace.
Other party-affiliated people running are Mr O'Malley's cousin, Cllr Tim O'Malley (PD), Cllr Peter Power of Fianna Fáil and Sen Mary Jackman of Fine Gael. The former Limerick hurling manager, Mr Tom Ryan, will run as an independent along with Cllr Kennedy. They are likely to be joined by Cllr Michael Kelly, who runs a security business, and by Mr Denis Riordan, the lecturer who successfully challenged the constitutionality of Mr Hugh O'Flaherty's appointment to the European Central Bank.
Mr Kennedy's failure to be nominated as a candidate prompted his decision to leave the party after 34 years as a member and councillor. "My vote could make the difference after the next general election if I win a seat," he said.