Fine Gael has displayed the first signs that it will ruthlessly hunt extra Dáil seats, following the selection yesterday of the party's list of official candidates for the Seanad elections.
The party's Senate Electoral Commission chose 12 candidates from the 50 put forward by the parliamentary party, the constituency executives and the party's national executive.
Four outgoing senators - Madeleine Taylor Quinn, John Connor, Dino Cregan, and Ernie Caffrey - have been dropped from Fine Gael's official line-up, although all four have secured nominations from outside bodies.
Last night, a spokesperson said: "The commission was absolutely determined to select senatorial candidates with definite potential to win Dáil seats the next time out."
Because of its disastrous drop in Dáil numbers in the general election, Fine Gael is entitled to nominate just 12 candidates for the Seanad - down from the 16 that it ran five years ago.
The party's Senate Electoral Commission, chaired by Ms Kay Brophy, in particular focused its attentions on 12 of the 13 constituencies where Fine Gael no longer has Dáil representation.
The selections are:
• Culture and Educational panel: former Dublin West TD, Mr Brian Hayes and Tipperary North candidate, Mr Noel Coonan;
• Agricultural panel: former Galway East TD Mr Ulick Burke and the party's third candidate in Dún Laoghaire, Mr John Bailey;
• Labour panel: former Mayo TD Mr Jim Higgins and Councillor Fergal Browne, who was beaten in Carlow/Kilkenny;
• Industrial & Commercial panel: Dublin West candidate Ms Shiela Terry and Dublin North West Director of Elections, Mr John Mullins;
• Administrative panel: Mr Joe McHugh, who was beaten for a general election nomination in Donegal North East and Ms Nicky McFadden, who performed creditably, if unsuccessfully, in Westmeath.
The list of those rejected by the party's electoral commission included the outgoing Fine Gael leader in the Seanad, Mr Maurice Manning, who had been nominated by his colleagues in the parliamentary party.
Mr Manning's decision to let his name go forward caused surprise since he had previously indicated he did not intend to run, saying that potential Dáil candidates should be given a chance.
A number of defeated Fine Gael TDs, including Dublin South East's Frances Fitzgerald, Cork East's Mr Paul Bradford and Cavan/Monaghan's Mr Andrew Boylan, have all secured outside nominations.
Meanwhile, four Independent TDs have nominated Ms Kathy Sinnott, who was narrowly defeated for the final seat in Cork South Central, to run on the labour panel in the Seanad elections, which will end in late July.
Last night, Ms Sinnott acknowledged that she faces an uphill battle: "It is a very political electorate. I have a chance. I have a reasonable chance. But I don't have the same confidence that I had in the general election."
She has been nominated by Sligo/Leitrim TD Ms Marian Harkin; Mayo TD Dr Jerry Cowley; Dublin North Central TD Mr Finian McGrath; and Tipperary South TD, Mr Seamus Healy. Other Independent colleagues have said that they are prepared to back her campaign.
"Her work, and that of those she works for, constitutes largely unremunerated labour and the work of carers deserves far greater recognition in future government policy. Her outstanding advocacy is greatly admired," said her nominators last night.
The Independents TDs will now start to lobby independent councillors to back Ms Sinnott.
