The Taoiseach's special adviser, Dr Martin Mansergh, will be a candidate, but there is likely to be no change in South Tipperary, writes Chris Dooley, South East Correspondent.
Nowhere has the political landscape changed more dramatically since the last general election than South Tipperary.
And nowhere are people more accustomed to opening their doors to politicians.
Following two by-elections and the 1999 local authority poll, this is the fourth year in succession that voters in the constituency are being canvassed for support.
There are, at least, some new faces this time, including the Taoiseach's special adviser, Dr Martin Mansergh, who hopes to win a second seat for Fianna Fáil. The early indications are that he will fall well short of the target.
Dr Mansergh has concentrated his efforts to date on Tipperary town and the west of the county, while his running mate, Minister of State, Mr Noel Davern, focuses on his own base in Clonmel. Not even the tightest vote management strategy, however, will be enough to secure a second seat for Fianna Fáil.
Neither is Dr Mansergh considered a threat, at least in this election, to Mr Davern, one of the wiliest political operators around. Observers say he has not been as active on the ground in recent years as some of his rivals, but his good performance in the Department of Agriculture, particularly during the foot-and-mouth crisis, consolidated his position.
Dr Mansergh's problem is that, while he is well respected nationally for his critical role in the peace process, he has no track record in the constituency, despite being a cumann member in his native Tipperary town since 1981. "You cannot overestimate the importance of building support by coming up through the ranks," according to an activist from another party.
Like Mr Davern, the other outgoing TDs, Mr Séamus Healy of the Workers and Unemployed Action Group, and Fine Gael's Mr Tom Hayes, are expected to hold their seats. Each faces new challenges, however.
It was Mr Healy's resounding victory in the 2000 by-election, following the death of Labour's Mr Michael Ferris, which shook up a constituency that had been neatly carved up between the three main parties.
It should not have been that much of a surprise. In 1999 the WUAG took four seats on Clonmel Corporation, while Labour failed to win one in the town in which the party was founded. Since then, with continued huge support from the Clonmel area, Mr Healy's group has consolidated its position as the dominant left-wing force in the constituency.
Labour is again pinning its hopes on Carrick-on-Suir based councillor Mr Denis Landy, who contested last year's by-election but secured just 13 per cent of the vote.
Although highly regarded by fellow politicians and a big vote-puller in the Fethard electoral area, he has failed to date to make significant inroads in Clonmel or other parts of the county.
Yet Mr Healy will not have it all his own way in Clonmel. It is also Mr Davern's base and he did not, of course, contest the 2000 by-election that Mr Healy won.
And Sinn Féin has entered the race with one of its youngest candidates, Mr Muiris Ó Suilleabháin (24), an engineer from Newcastle, near Cahir, but also now based in Clonmel.
Mr Healy can afford to lose some ground in his home town, however, and still get elected. Mr Hayes, who won last year's by-election following the death of his Fine Gael colleague, Ms Theresa Ahearn, is in a similar position.
He, too, faces a battle on his home turf, in the west of the constituency.
Not only has he Dr Mansergh to contend with, but former Fine Gael councillor Mr Tom Wood is running as an independent and will have considerable personal support in the Cashel area, just a few miles from Mr Hayes's base in Golden.
Observers say Mr Wood, who left Fine Gael earlier this year having "lost interest" in party colleagues, is capable of winning up to 2,000 votes.
Mr Hayes, however, has considerable personal support of his own and, as the only Fine Gael candidate, is considered a safe bet.
Health is the issue most frequently raised on the doorsteps, say party activists.
Decentralisation was another that featured in the two by-elections. Some people appear to have given up on that prospect, however.
Two years ago, motorists passing through Carrick-on-Suir were greeted with the sign: "Carrick-on-Suir Welcomes Decentralisation 2000." Last year the sign was changed to: "Carrick-on-Suir Welcomes Decentralisation 2001."
This year there is no sign, and no sign of it happening.
Prediction: FF 1, FG 1, Ind 1. No change.
1997: FF 37.28%; FG 24.09%; Lab 16.11%; NP 6.03%; Others 16.49%.
Outgoing TDs: Noel Davern (FF), Tom Hayes (FG), Seamus Healy (Ind).