Fine Gael faces an uphill task in holding its second seat in Carlow-Kilkenny following last night's announcement by Mr John Browne that he will step down at the next election.
The Carlow TD, who has been a Dail member for 12 years, told Fine Gael constituency officers of his decision at a meeting in Leighlinbridge.
He had been nominated to contest the election along with the party's other sitting TD in the constituency, Mr Phil Hogan. His decision to retire was influenced by the fact that the election is now unlikely to take place until next year.
His son, Mr Fergal Browne, who entered politics in 1999 with his election to Carlow Urban District Council, is considered a likely replacement but he can expect opposition from other councillors, including Mr Denis Foley and Mr Declan Alcock. The chosen candidate will be up against it, as Carlow-Kilkenny is likely to produce one of the tightest election battles in the State. With the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison, re-elected automatically, the parties will effectively be fighting for just four seats in a five-seat constituency.
Mr Hogan has earned a reputation as an excellent vote manager but he will be hard-pushed to bring in a second candidate this time. However, Mr Browne said yesterday that if his successor could match his performance in recent elections by coming in third on the first count, the party would be successful.
He had decided to stand down, he said, because he would be 65 in October and, after a heart bypass operation just over a year ago, he had decided "to put common sense before sentimentality and loyalty".
He had accepted the nomination to run in the expectation that the election would take place this year, but the foot-and-mouth crisis had ensured this was unlikely to happen.
"I have enjoyed political life but it is tougher than most people realise. You're under pressure going to meetings here and there; you never get a break. And if I'm in I want to be in 100 per cent - you can't leave a meeting after an hour and a half and say you're going for a siesta.
"It wasn't an easy decision but I decided I didn't really want to be still there when I was 70, doing the work that younger fellows should be doing."
Mr Browne's decision increases the possibility that Carlow will be without a TD after the next election. Of the five Carlow-Kilkenny deputies, he is the only one from the smaller county. Voters in the county were urged last year by Co Carlow Chamber of Commerce to support Carlow candidates.