Fine Gael has named Mr George Birmingham SC as chairman of the party's Dublin Action Group (DAG).
The group is designed to boost the party's popularity in the capital after a poor performance in the General Election.
Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny said the DAG's work would be completed by April next.
"We recognise that Fine Gael suffered a major setback in Dublin in the recent General Election," he said at the DAG launch today.
"The Group will assess our current position in Dublin, with the assistance of specially-commissioned qualitative and quantitative research; they will assess the performance of the Party generally, but also of our public representatives, and our levels of activity.
"The preparations for the Local Elections in 2004 will be a key focus of the Group, particularly with a view to identifying a strong team of candidates," he added.
Mr Birmingham (48) is from Sutton in Dublin. He was a member of the Dáil from 1981, representing Dublin North Central until 1989; he served as Minister of State in the Department of Labour (1982-1986), Department of Education (1983-1986) and Department of Foreign Affairs (1986-1987).
He was elected to Dublin City Council in 1979, and served until 1983. He has practiced law as a barrister since he stood down from elected politics, following his defeat in the 1989 General Election. He was called to the inner bar in 1999. He was recently appointed by the Government to conduct an investigation into how allegations of child sex abuse were handled in the Dioceses of Ferns.
