THE DÁIL’S YOUNGEST TD, Simon Harris, is now considered to be the favourite for the Fine Gael nomination to run in the European elections in Ireland South after several potential candidates ruled themselves out in recent days.

The 27-year-old, whose potential candidacy was first reported by TheJournal.ie last November, has, it is understood, emerged as the preferred choice among many within the Fine Gael leadership.

This follows the surprise decision by former Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) chief John Bryan to withdraw his name from the running last weekend.

Harris, a TD for Wicklow, was considered an outside choice when his name was first mooted but several other potential candidates have ruled themselves out in recent days. He must now decide if he wants to run for the European Parliament and is likely to have to make a decision by next week.

The biggest party in the country wants to run three candidates and hopes to win two seats in the 23 May poll with incumbent MEP Seán Kelly, a native of Kerry, seeking re-election and Cork-based senator and former TD Deirdre Clune also seeking the nomination.

A candidate based in the Leinster part of the vast constituency is the most likely addition to the ticket but Waterford’s John Deasy has also been mentioned as a possible candidate and is still in contention.

Among those now considered out of the running are Government Chief Whip and Wexford TD Paul Kehoe and Carlow-Killkenny deputy John-Paul Phelan, who ran unsuccessful in the abolished Ireland East in 2009.

‘Monumentally disastrous’

A number of potential candidates identified the three-candidate strategy as deterring them from seeking the nomination.

Fine Gael can only realistically win two of the four available seats and some fear running three candidates will split the vote too much and end up in the party only winning one.

Bryan’s decision to withdraw his name follows a change of tactics by the party headquarters from a two-candidate that had been though likely up until recent weeks.

It’s believed Bryan was told that the party would only be running two candidates – himself and Kelly – when he was originally approached about running last year, prior to stepping down as head of the IFA.

His decision not to seek the candidacy as a result of the change in statregy has been criticised by some party members, with one senior source saying the handling of the situation was “monumentally disastrous”.

Fine Gael is now likely to select two candidates, Kelly and Clune, at the selection convention this Sunday and then add a third name to the ticket before its Ard Fheis at the end of the month.

A decision on this is now likely to be made as early as next week.

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Read: Fine Gael’s European election strategy is putting off some potential Fine Gael candidates