Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu is set to run for the Seanad as an independent.
Ms Chu is a memeber of the Green Party, but they have not endorsed her for the position.
However, a number of high ranking officials in the party will back Ms Chu.
Ms Chu submitted her nomination for the Industrial and Commercial panel in the upcoming Seanad by-election.
Green Party deputy leader Catherin Martin has signed nomination papers for Ms Chu according to The Irish Times.
The Green Party said it was not putting forward a candidate and that Ms Chu “is not contesting the election as a Green Party candidate”.
Despite the official party stance, Ms Martin is not the only Green Party member who has backed Ms Chu.
Minister of State Joe O’Brien, and Neasa Hourigan, both of whom voted against the Government last year, Francis Noel Duffy TD and Senator Vincent Martin have all signed Ms Chu's nomination papers.
Sources told The Irish Times that Ms Chu also secured nominations from Senators Eileen Flynn and Lynn Ruane and Independent TD Marian Harkin.
Support
“I believe her own party should have given her the opportunity to run as a woman and a woman from an ethnic minority group. If I was a woman from an ethnic minority and my party [were] not giving me the opportunity to go, I would appreciate other women supporting me,” said Ms Flynn.
In statement, the Green Party said: “The Green Party’s Executive Committee decided against holding a selection convention to nominate a Green candidate. The party has not endorsed a candidate in this election. Cllr. Chu is not contesting the election as a Green Party candidate.”
The Irish Examiner reports that Ms Chu wrote to members of the party to make them aware of her decision, as she did not want them to learn of the move from the media.
“Though I am a Green member, I understand I am not endorsed by the party since the executive made the decision not to hold a selection convention. I also understand there is no pact in place with any other parties as confirmed by the leader at the last executive meeting. I am not looking for any support from the party since this was a personal choice to ensure that there is proper representation," she told members.
“In the current climate, it is important to have women and minorities represented at this election. This choice, as I said, is a personal one, as is my candidacy. After spending the year speaking to children from all backgrounds that anyone can run for election I felt that it was essential I follow what I preach.
Abuse
“As you all know, I have received more abuse this year than almost any other politician, from petitions to protests to the point where there are detectives from the serious crime division of the gardaí calling to my door.
“The abuse from people is not over my policies or my work but because of my ethnic minority background. Until we can show that it is normal that people from diverse backgrounds can be in political positions, this racism will continue.
“And this is a point I've raised to the management committee, executive committee, and parliamentary party many times. Equally, it is the similar bias that women face in politics. The first step for me to fight against this race and gender bias is to put myself forward or support those that have put themselves forward.
“In this particular by-election panel there is no one from a diverse background or female, hence I felt further compelled to put my name on the ballot.”
The by-elections come after resignations of former Fine Gael junior minister Michael D'Arcy and Sinn Féin's Elisha McCallion.
