The former director of elections for John O'Donoghue is competing with a sister of the Ceann Comhairle for a seat on the National University of Ireland (NUI) panel in the forthcoming Seanad elections.
Killorglin solicitor Liam Crowley was Fianna Fáil director of elections in Mr O'Donoghue's Kerry South constituency in successive general elections.
Dr Mary O'Riordan, Mr O'Donoghue's sister, is a community health physician based in Limerick.
According to a front-page report in the latest edition of the Kerryman, supporters of Mr Crowley were "shocked" when they discovered that Mr O'Donoghue's sister was also competing for one of the three NUI seats in the Seanad.
Speaking by telephone to The Irish Times yesterday, Mr Crowley said: "I wasn't shocked. Dr O'Riordan is as entitled to run as I am."
Meanwhile, outgoing Green Party leader and newly-appointed Minister of State Trevor Sargent declared his support for two party members who are running for university seats.
"In the longstanding tradition of the university panels, Martin Hogan in the NUI and David Hutchinson Edgar in Trinity College, will be contesting this election as Independents and have committed to remaining as such if elected.
"However, both have long standing records campaigning on environmental and social issues and they have the full support of both myself and the party," Mr Sargent said.
Independent NUI Senator Feargal Quinn implicitly criticised Fianna Fáil for intervening in support of particular candidates on the university panels. "Traditionally the University Seanad seats have been almost always occupied by Independents, and I believe it's our independence that is the basis of the pivotal role we play in the Seanad."
However, Fianna Fáil activist Seán O'Connor, who is running for a University of Dublin seat, accused Independent senators of "attacking my right to free association".