Former Fine Gael TD Kate O'Connell has announced she won't contest the by-election in Dublin Bay South.
Ms O'Connell has also accused some in the party locally of pushing back and trying to replace her.
Less than 900 votes separated Kate O'Connell from Jim O'Callaghan for the final seat in Dublin Bay South in last year's general election.
Her party colleague Eoghan Murphy took a seat for Fine Gael - but resigned from the Dáil last month.
This morning on RTÉ Kate O'Connell confirmed she won't be seeking the nomination to replace him.
The pharmacist said she was interested but has had no contact from party HQ and there was a movement by some locally to replace her with another candidate.
She cited criticism at Fine Gael constituency meetings - including one party member turning up with a sod of turf to present to her - the message being you're not really from here but from the country.
Kate O'Connell also said she believed her relationship with Leo Varadkar never recovered after she vocally backed Simon Coveney in the Fine Gael leadership contest.
It's expected Cllr James Geoghegan will get the nod to run for Fine Gael in Dublin Bay South.
While it's a strong constituency for Fine Gael other parties will be happy not to be facing the more electorally tested O'Connell in an area that always throws up interesting results.
Reporting by Sean Defoe
