The Dublin South Progressive Democrats TD, Ms Liz O'Donnell, has confirmed that she may be a candidate in the European Parliament elections in Dublin in the summer of next year.
"I am seriously considering running," she told The Irish Times yesterday. "However, I would not like it to be seen as a diminution of my interest in national politics."
Ms O'Donnell is a former minister of state for foreign affairs and is currently the party's whip.
She turned down the offer of a junior ministry from the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, for personal reasons after last year's election where she took the third seat in the five-seater Dublin South constituency. She polled 8,288 first preferences, the highest vote next to the poll-topper, Fianna Fáil's Mr Séamus Brennan.
While she would be a strong candidate in a European election, the party could have difficulty in replacing her.
Meanwhile, the Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South East, Mr Eoin Ryan, has said he is "definitively considering" seeking a party nomination to contest the European election. Mr Ryan is expected to replace the outgoing party MEP, Mr Niall Andrews.
If Mr Ryan was successful, the party has a strong candidate to replace him in the Dáil in Mr Chris Andrews, a councillor, who polled 3,449 first preferences in the last general election.
The Dublin seats are currently held by Mr Niall Andrews (FF), Ms Mary Banotti (FG), Mr Proinsias De Rossa (Lab) and Ms Patricia McKenna (Green).
