The Progressive Democrats' general election prospects have been significantly boosted following the decision of the former IFA leader, Mr Tom Parlon, to run for the party and increasing hopes that Attorney General Mr Michael McDowell will rejoin their ranks.
Opting to run for the Progressive Democrats in Laois-Offaly, the 48-year-old Mr Parlon expressed confidence that he can win one of the constituency's hotly contested five seats.
Clearly jubilant, the party's leader, the Tánaiste, Ms Mary Harney, said Mr Parlon was "a skilful, professional and honourable person" who would prove to be "a huge asset" to Irish politics.
Meanwhile, the Galway West-based Minister of State, Mr Bobby Molloy, is expected to give the party another boost by running again. He has told friends that his name will go before the selection convention on February 3rd.
The Birr-based Mr Parlon, who also had discussions with Fine Gael, agreed to run for the PDs after a long meeting with the Tánaiste in Dublin on Saturday.
Senior party figures are in discussion with a number of other potential candidates in Clare, Mayo and Kildare North, although none has the national profile of Mr Parlon, it is believed.
Despite official denials, some in the party had hoped that the candidatures of Mr Parlon and Mr McDowell could have been announced at the same time, though this proved impossible to organise.
The Attorney General is understood to be leaning towards running for the party in his old Dublin South East constituency, although he is keen to do so as party president.
In October 2000 he proposed that a party president should prepare election manifestos, revitalise the membership, direct party officials, and effectively act as chief executive.
Mr McDowell will come under pressure this week to make a final decision before meetings of the party's Parliamentary Party on Wednesday and its national executive the following day.
A decision to create a presidential role will require changes to party rules, and they will have to be agreed at its annual conference, due early in February.
The capture of Mr Parlon and the expected announcements of both Mr McDowell and Mr Molloy will sharply alter perceptions about the party's fortunes in the general election.
"This will give a lot of people a lot of confidence and at just the right time. There is no reason why the current administration cannot be returned now," a party figure told The Irish Times.
Despite failing to attract Mr Parlon to run for them in Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael said there would be no recriminations. He met the party leader, Mr Michael Noonan, last Wednesday, though the party was only told yesterday of his decision to join the PDs.
Fine Gael's Laois-Offaly TD, Mr Charles Flanagan, whose seat could be threatened by Mr Parlon, is deeply unhappy at the former IFA leader's move.
While he was "pleased" that the air had been cleared by the announcement, he said Mr Parlon's "particular style of Dutch-auction politics smacks of cynicism".
"Tom Parlon has firmly placed the interests of Tom Parlon before the interests of farmers. By joining the Progressive Democrats, a party of liberal marketeers, fundamentally opposed to farm supports, he is letting down the people he led admirably for the last four years," said the Portlaoise-based Mr Flanagan.
Fianna Fáil holds three seats in Laois-Offaly, while one of Fine Gael's two sitting deputies, Mr Tom Enright, is retiring. His daughter, Olwyn, is standing in his stead.
In 1997 Fine Gael ousted Labour's Pat Gallagher by increasing its share of the vote by 4.5 per cent and by letting Mr Enright campaign exclusively in Co Offaly, while Mr Flanagan canvassed in Co Laois.
Mr Parlon will face a tough battle. The PDs' candidate, former Senator Cathy Honan, won just 6.5 per cent of the first preference votes in Laois-Offaly in 1997.
Meanwhile, reports that the Taoiseach's Northern Ireland adviser, Mr Martin Mansergh, will run for Fianna Fáil in the three-seat Tipperary South constituency cannot be confirmed, though the possibility has been discussed by senior party figures.
