Mr Pat Rabbitte has declared his intention to seek the position of Labour Party leader.
Mr Rabitte has been taking soundings throughout the party since Mr Ruairi Quinn announced his intention to step down. Announcing his candidacy today, he said there was a "mood for change and for a fresh start within the party".
Mr Rabbitte today signalled his strategy for the party would have a different emphasis from the only other declared candidate, Labour's deputy leader Mr Brendan Howlin.
While Mr Howlin said Labour should build a broad alliance of the left, Mr Rabbitte today said he would encourage tactical co-operation in the Dail but ruled formal alliances. "My priority in this Dáil will be to build the Labour Party and to make Labour the most effective voice in opposition," he said.
Like Mr Howlin, Mr Rabitte said the priority for the party was the removal of the Government. "We must expose the self-serving incompetence of this Government which clung onto power on the basis of dissembling, deception and fraudulent promises," he said.
"The task for the Labour Party now is to ensure that it is a country where equality of opportunity has real meaning for people; a country with a vibrant economy, a clean environment and decent, dependable public services," he added.
Mr Rabitte's candidacy follows Ms Joan Burton's decision to stand for the deputy leadership earlier today.
Mr Rabbitte was a member of the Democratic Left before it merged with Labour in the 80s. Mr Eamon Gilmore, another former DL member, is also considered a likely candidate and should he declare, then Mr Rabbitte's core vote may be split.
The 53-year-old native of Mayo is the party's spokesperson on justice and is a TD for Dublin South West as well as holding a seat on South Dublin County Council. He is a former minister of state at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and was a national secretary of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union.