The Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell, is not expected to stand for the Progressive Democrats in Dublin South East in the next general election.
The Tanaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats, Ms Harney, last night said it was unlikely Mr McDowell will be a candidate for the party, when she was interviewed on RTE's The Week in Politics.
Ms Harney has devoted a considerable amount of time in recent years attempting to persuade Mr McDowell to re-enter mainstream politics. The party postponed a constituency convention in Dublin South East and dissuaded possible candidates from establishing a base there in the hope that the Attorney General would change his mind.
Last night's statement is likely to start the process of choosing a successor to Mr McDowell in the constituency.
Following the loss of his Dail seat in the 1997 general election, Mr McDowell resigned from the Progressive Democrats and was said to have had serious differences with Ms Harney about the way in which the election campaign had been run. Efforts were made to re-establish good relations, and Mr McDowell was nominated to a number of Government advisory bodies. Later, he was nominated by the party to fill the position of Attorney General when Mr David Byrne replaced Mr Padraig Flynn as Irish Commissioner in Brussels.
The statement by Ms Harney that she does not expect Mr McDowell to stand for the Dail will come as a disappointment to the party as it prepares for the coming general election.
The former party leader, Mr Des O'Malley, has already announced his intention to retire.