The chairwoman of the Council for the West, Ms Marian Harkin, has confirmed that she will contest the next Dail election as an Independent candidate in the Sligo/Leitrim constituency.
Ms Harkin's announcement yesterday ended speculation about her political career after it became known that she had been approached by the main parties.
She has been seen as a strong candidate since the European elections when she took 47,000 first preference votes in Connacht/Ulster and was narrowly beaten to a seat by Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon.
Ms Harkin is a secondary teacher in Sligo town but lived in Leitrim for a number of years and was involved in community work there. She has gained a high national profile through her work with the Council for the West, a lobby group which campaigns for western development.
Ms Harkin said yesterday that although she had "conversations" with a number of parties, it was "never really on the agenda" to join any of them.
"Ninety-five per cent of people who have spoken to me said I would be most effective as an Independent and it would be my best chance of getting elected," she said.
"Sligo/Leitrim has no history of returning Independent candidates and it would be a major change," she added.
