Former ceann comhairle Séamus Pattison has told close Labour Party colleagues that he will shortly announce his decision not to run again for Dáil Éireann.
The Carlow/Kilkenny TD, who was first elected to the Dáil in 1961, is hoping to pass on the political baton to his nephew, Eoin Pattison.
However, the departure of Mr Pattison is expected to lead to serious competition for the party's nomination.
Carlow-based Cllr Jim Townsend ran creditably in the 2002 general election and Labour won more votes in Carlow than Kilkenny for the first time.
Cllr Michael O'Brien, who sits on Kilkenny County Council for the Thomastown electoral area, is another likely to contest the nomination.
The Castlecomer-based councillor, Maurice Shortall, who easily exceeded the quota in the Ballyragget electoral area with nearly 1,800 first preferences in the 2004 local elections, made it clear last week on local radio that he will be contesting the nomination.
Cllr Anne Phelan is also expected to put her hat into the ring. And a number of Labour's Kilkenny City-based borough councillors, including Cllr Seán Ó hArgáin, are also likely to consider their chances, given the traditional strength of the party's vote in the city - though much of that would be personal to Mr Pattison snr.
Currently, his nephew, a graduate of the London School of Economics, works for Labour Dublin West TD, Joan Burton in Dáil Éireann.
Last week the Kilkenny People reported that he had begun to attend constituency clinics and local events with his uncle.
Raised in Castleknock in Dublin, Mr Pattison's father, Joe, is an accountant who has an office of his practice in Kilkenny.
