The Green Party is to announce who will replace John Gormley as its leader on Friday.
Former minister Eamon Ryan, Kilkenny based Cllr Malcolm Noonan and Dublin Central general election candidate Phil Kearney are contesting.
The party, which lost its six Dáil seats in the general election, said the appointment of a new leader would be a first critical step in the rebuilding process.
It said hustings had taken place around the country ahead of the election of a new leader, with some 50 members attending each meeting. Party members will elect the new leader by postal ballot.
Mr Gormley wrote to party members in March signalling that he would be stepping down as leader
Mr Ryan served as minister for communications, energy and natural resources in the last government while the Greens were in coalition with Fianna Fáil. He was first elected as a TD in 2002 but lost his Dublin South Dáil seat in February..
Mr Noonan sits on Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Borough Council, having recently concluded his term as mayor of Kilkenny city. He has been an environmental activist for 20 years.
Mr Kearney, a psychotherapist and farmer, is a member of the party’s national executive committee. The party’s deputy national co-ordinator, he was an unsuccessful general election candidate in the Dublin Central.
