Former MEP and minister of state Avril Doyle has withdrawn her plan to seek the Fine Gael nomination for the presidential election.
Ms Doyle said that having come “late into the race” she realised she was “unlikely” to secure the nomination.
In a statement, she said: “Having considered my candidature for the Fine Gael nomination and the dynamic of the campaign over for the past three days I have decided to withdraw from Saturday’s selection convention to allow my supporters to focus on the three remaining candidates.
“I think this is in the best interest of the Fine Gael party.”
She added: “Having come late into the race and being a realist, I now realise that I am unlikely to secure the nomination not withstanding the fact that I retain the support of a sizeable number of the parliamentary party, the national executive and the councillors nationwide.”
Ms Doyle said she would not “disadvantage” any of the three remaining candidates by endorsing one.
“The candidate of choice will have my full support," she said. “To my many loyal supporters and friends in the parliamentary party, among the councillors, the national executive and to my dedicated campaign team my sincere thanks for their encouragement and commitment.”
The three remaining candidates going forward to the selection convention at the weekend are former European Parliament president Pat Cox and MEPs Mairead McGuinness and Gay Mitchell.
Ms Doyle has been a Fine Gael public representative for thirty five years, serving first as a councillor and former mayor of Wexford town.
She was first elected to the Dáil in the November 1982 election as Fine Gael TD for Wexford. She served as a Minister of State in the Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition governments of 1982–87 and 1994–97.
After losing her seat in 1997 general election, she was elected to the European Parliament at the 1999 elections and again in 2004. She also served as a member of the Seanad from 1989-1992 and from 1997-2002.