Fianna Fáil has averted a serious row in Donegal North East by deciding to allow the three sitting TDs to run in the three-seat constituency in the next election.
However, party strategists believe that one of the outgoing TDs, Niall Blaney, Cecelia Keaveney or Dr Jim McDaid, is now likely to lose their seat in the contest.
The party's problems arose from the decision of Dr McDaid to go back on a commitment to step down at the next election. He embarked on that course following the announcement last July that Independent Fianna Fáil TD Niall Blaney had been accepted into the party.
There is some irony in the fact that 30 years ago Independent Fianna Fáil was represented in the Dáil by a Keaveney and a Blaney, and that next year the daughter of one and the nephew of the other will be standing on the same ticket as Fianna Fáil candidates.
At a meeting in Dublin yesterday, the national constituencies committee of Fianna Fáil decided that the only solution was to allow all three sitting TDs to run in the election.
Mr Blaney told The Irish Times that the decision had come about on his initiative.
"I met a number of my key people on Monday night and told them that I had to show some leadership on this.
"I went to see the Taoiseach on Tuesday night and while it would have been easy for me to say 'this is your problem', I felt that I had a duty to resolve the matter.
"I told him that in my view the best way out was for all three of us to run," he said.
Mr Blaney added that he was confident of retaining his seat although he realised that he had made his own position more difficult by suggesting that all three TDs should run.
Ms Keaveney said she was delighted that a bit of clarity had at last been brought to the situation as everybody had been in limbo waiting to see what would happen.
"I am confident I will hold my seat," she said. "We had enough votes for three seats the last time and I am convinced the people of Donegal will rise to the challenge and elect the three of us again."
Commenting on the announcement, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that in July, he had welcomed the amalgamation of Fianna Fáil and Independent Fianna Fáil as providing an exciting new dynamism to politics in Donegal.
He said it would also strengthen Fianna Fáil locally and nationally.
Mr Ahern added that since Mr Blaney had joined Fianna Fáil in July, he had been extremely active in promoting the interests of Donegal and of Fianna Fáil and the process of amalgamation had been going very well.
"Niall sought a meeting with me last evening. I had a very productive and positive meeting with him. Niall said that it was his view that the best way to maximise the Fianna Fáil vote in next year's general election would be for us to run the three outgoing TDs in the constituency. I undertook to consider this matter overnight."
The Taoiseach added: "I am aware that Cecelia Keaveney, Dr Jim McDaid and the Donegal North East organisation are in agreement with this."
