Fine Gael has been forced to “revise” its division of the Ireland South constituency in order to bolster MEP Deirdre Clune's flagging campaign, just 48 hours before polling.
Letters issued in parts of the vast constituency by Director of Elections Regina Doherty have called on voters in Limerick to give Ms Clune their number 1 votes in order to ensure Fine Gael keeps its two seats in the European Parliament.
Ms Doherty's letter called on voters in the city to vote for Ms Clune ahead of her party colleagues Sean Kelly, who is all but assured of a seat and junior agriculture minister Andrew Doyle, who is seen as a sweeper in Leinster.
Originally, Ms Clune had been given priority campaigning rights in Cork City and County, while Waterford and South Tipperary were to be shared with Mr Kelly.
However, with Mr Kelly looking likely to exceed the quota on the first count, Ms Doherty decided to hand Limerick over to Ms Clune, but some are fearful the move has come too late.
“Kelly is home and dry and Deirdre is really struggling and the granting her of new areas is a clear sign of this, but it is coming very late in the day,” said one senior party figure.
Fine Gael is hoping that Mr Doyle does well enough to remain in the race long enough to transfer a big block of votes to help Ms Clune over the line, as happened in 2014 when now Health Minister Simon Harris played the sweeper role.
Deirdre Clune campaigning in Cape Clear recently.
“She was elected off the back of Harris votes in 2014 but will she be helped this time around? It is not clear.”
Over the past 10 days, there has been a growing sense of concern within the party, that Ms Clune's seat is vulnerable, despite a large spend on posters in the Cork area and an aggressive vote management strategy by party bosses.
She has polled poorly in two polls, the latest one in the Sunday Business Post putting her in seventh place in the race for five seats.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, many of the 23 candidates seeking election in Ireland South have said fears around Brexit and Climate Change are the two European issues that have been coming up on the doors.
There is a sense that Green Party candidate, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, could benefit from the so-called 'Green Wave' and poach an unexpected seat while Fianna Fáil is very hopeful that it can take two of the five seats.
Sitting TD for Cork North-Central, Billy Kelleher, is at the behest of his party leader concentrating his efforts in Cork City during the final days of the campaign, but is expected to take a seat.
His running mate, Malcolm Byrne, has impressed during the campaign and is in contention of taking one of the last two seats.
Independents4Change TD Mick Wallace who is also in with a fighting chance of a seat decided to spend his day in Leinster House, as opposed to concentrating on campaigning.
He took up his rotated slot to appear at Leaders' Questions in the Dáil, while other independents who were due to be there were absent.
