Fine Gael Mayo TD Mr Michael Ring will decide next weekend whether he will appeal yesterday's High Court dual mandate judgment to the Supreme Court.
The High Court ruled on all counts against Mr Ring, who had complained that members of the Oireachtas should not be barred from running for local authorities. Following the hearing, he said: "I will decide quickly if I am going to appeal. I will meet with my legal team next week and decide what I am going to do next weekend. I am not going to have this hanging over my head for the next two or three months, so I will be making up my mind very quickly on what I do next," he told The Irish Times.
The High Court's decision next Friday on whether Mr Ring should be awarded his costs in the case will have a major bearing on the Fine Gael TD's future options.
Under court rules, he could be given his costs, which run into tens of thousands of euro, if Ms Justice Laffoy rules that his case was one taken in the public interest.
Though a significant number of members of the Oireachtas have been quick to offer Mr Ring vocal support, it would appear that few have been equally forthcoming with financial help. "I know that a lot of Oireachtas members are disappointed that I did not win, but the judge gave a very clear judgment, so while I am disappointed I don't have any complaints," he declared.
He had received strong support from his constituents in Mayo, he said: "There were so many Mass cards sent and candles lit that I thought I had a great chance."
Though Fine Gael officially supported the abolition of the dual mandate, a party spokesman said party members were proud that Mr Ring had the courage to take the matter to the courts.
"He was entitled to challenge the case in court. He has had his day there and he has had his ruling. The party has its position on the dual mandate and we have been following through on it," the spokesman said.
Expressing disappointment at the ruling, Independent Wicklow TD Ms Mildred Fox said she had made "a donation" to Mr Ring's court fund. "I don't know what others did or did not do. Irish politicians have always been accessible to the public. This will, over time, make them less so. It won't happen overnight - I accept that - but it will happen."
Independent Galway East TD Mr Paddy McHugh suggested that Independents would have to have allies on local councils to ensure that they were not out-flanked by the political parties.