Independent TD Mildred Fox told members of her political organisation on Thursday night she has decided not to seek re-election.

Ms Fox’s decision not to stand for family reasons now throws open the Wicklow contest. Some commentators say that her decision could benefit Green Party councillor Deirdre de Burca.

Mildred Fox was first elected to the Dail in 1995 in a by-election following the death of her father Johnny Fox. Then aged 24, she was the youngest member of the Dail and the only female Independent TD.

After the 1997 election she was one of four TDs who supported the Fianna Fail/PD minority government during its term of office.

In 2002, she was only narrowly re-elected to the Dail just 19 votes ahead of Labour candidate Nicky Kelly. Her brother, Cllr Christopher Fox, is a member of Wicklow county council but it is believed he is unlikely to stand for the Dail.

Only three of the sittings five TDs in Wicklow - Environment Minister Dick Roche, Liz McManus (Labour) and Billy Timmins (FG) - are standing in the general election.

With the retirement of Fianna Fail’s Joe Jacob, the party has faced difficulties in finalising its ticket for Wicklow.

The expectation has been that Arklow-based Cllr Pat Fitzgerald was emerging as the strongest contender to join Mr Roche on the ticket.

Up to now, Fianna Fail has been planning on the basis of running two candidates but Ms Fox’s decision may result in party chiefs re-evaluating that strategy.

If that happened it could put either Cllr Pat Casey or Cllr Joe Behan, in the running for the third slot.