The battle for Fine Gael nominations for next year's European Parliament election campaign in Munster will begin shortly, following the decision of Mr John Cushnahan MEP not to run again.
Saying that he was "deeply indebted" to Munster voters, the 55-year-old Mr Cushnahan said he was "deeply grateful" for the opportunity offered to him since he first ran in the 1989 European elections.
His replacement will be selected at a party convention in January, although the party must first decide whether it will run one or two candidates in the sprawling constituency.
The constituency is set to be cut from a four-seater to a three-seater by the Boundary Commission, which is due to publish its findings in early October, political parties believe. The boundary review could transfer Co Clare into the Connacht/Ulster constituency - a move that would have made it very difficult for the Limerick-based Mr Cushnahan.
However, Mr Cushnahan rejected such interpretations yesterday. "The boundary review had nothing to do with my decision. The review is not out yet, in any event."
The timing of Mr Cushnahan's announcement had to be brought forward after he was invited to appear on an RTÉ Week in Politics programme, which will be taped in Strasbourg today.
A former European Union official, Mr Rickard Deasy, a Tipperary farmer, was the first to throw his hat into the ring: "I will be seeking a nomination," he told The Irish Times.
Mr Deasy is the son of the late farming leader, Mr Rickard Deasy. He worked for 22 years in Brussels before he returned to Ireland in 1997 to farm in Terryglass, Co Tipperary.
Fine Gael's Cork North Central TD Mr Bernard Allen is equally expected to run. "I would like to wish Mr Cushnahan well. He has served Munster, Fine Gael and the country well."
Mr Allen sought a nomination in 1999, although he was unsuccessful when the Fine Gael convention decided to put a former MEP, Prof Tom Raftery, on the ticket alongside Mr Cushnahan.
The ticket selection this time will be crucial to Fine Gael's chances. "Munster is too big and varied for just one candidate - unless it was an extraordinary one," said one party figure.
Mr Allen's hopes to corner a major share of the Cork city vote will be affected by the presence of Independent MEP, Mr Pat Cox, the current President of the European Parliament, and Fianna Fáil's Mr Brian Crowley.
There has been some speculation that two former FG TDs, Cork East's Senator Paul Bradford and his Cork North West colleague Mr Michael Creed, will also be contestants.
Mr Cushnahan led the Alliance Party in Northern Ireland until 1987. He was persuaded to run in Munster by the former Fine Gael leader, Mr Alan Dukes, the party's then general secretary, Mr Finbarr Fitzpatrick, and a leading Munster party figure, Mr Richard Greene, who died this year.
