In 2002, some widely admired politicians . . .including former tanaiste Dick Spring, former finance minister Alan Dukes and thenFine Gael deputy leader Jim Mitchell . . . lost out, showing how the electorate can have little regard for political reputations.Next Thursday is unlikely to be any different. Shane Coleman profiles 13 high-performing TDs from the 29th Dail who are in real danger of getting the chop

1) Mary Harney, Dublin Mid West. Harney has arguably been among the best politicians of the past 25 years.

She took a massive gamble taking on the health job ministry in 2004. Harney should be OK on Thursday, particularly as her constituency has increased to four seats. But she has never been a massive votegetter and, with the PDs doing badly in the last week's Evening Herald Dublin poll, the party won't be taking any of its seats in the capital for granted. She would be a huge loss to politics.

2) Joan Burton, Dublin West. Lost her seat in 1997 but came back to the Dail in 2002 a wiser and better politician and was one of the stellar performers of the 29th Dail.

However, despite also working her socks off in the constituency, the Labour TD is facing a serious battle to hold onto her seat given the challenge of Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar, who polled well here in the local elections.

3) Joe Higgins, Dublin West. It's hard to imagine the Socialist Party leader losing his seat but it's not impossible.

Brian Lenihan is safe, and if both Burton and Varadkar poll well, Higgins could be squeezed.

The 30th Dail would be a lesser place for his absence . . . he has proved himself one of the best orators in the house over the past decade.

4) Ruairi Quinn, Dublin South East. A serious political heavyweight, Quinn has an impressive CV, which includes a well-regarded stint as minister for finance. Like Higgins, Quinn should be sitting pretty this time next week but after his scare five years ago as Labour leader, he won't be taking anything for granted. Any four from five candidates could be elected here and Quinn could be squeezed by a Fine Gael revival, if Michael McDowell's vote also holds up. His constituency work should see him through.

5) Michael McDowell, Dublin South East. Love him or hate him, there is no question politics is more colourful with McDowell around. Irish politics should be a broad enough church to have room for politicians like McDowell, but he's believed to be under serious pressure.

6) Pat Carey, Dublin North West. Carey is softspoken and understated, but is highly regarded in Leinster House as a fair-minded politician who is articulate and very capable. He should be a junior minister by now but is under pressure to keep his seat from Sinn Fein's Dessie Ellis.

7) Liz O'Donnell, Dublin South. She has never been a slave to clientelist-style constituency work but there will be enough of those in the next Dail. There is no question that the PD deputy leader is a good operator in national politics. She shouldn't be written off but she faces an enormous challenge from the Rainbow parties.

8) Fergus O'Dowd, Louth.

Fine Gael's front bench hasn't exactly set the world on fire but O'Dowd has been an exception, particularly with his excellent work on Leas Cross. A few weeks ago, his prospects seemed bleak (with the addition of Mairead McGuinness to what was already a strong ticket of Dowd and Jim D'Arcy) but a recent poll showed his vote holding up. He should make it but won't relax until he has reached the quota.

9) Paudge Connolly, Cavan-Monaghan. A surprise success in 2002 when he ran on a health-issue ticket, he has proven to be a thoughtful and intelligent politician over the past five years. He faces an uphill battle to hold his seat.

10) Finian McGrath, Dublin North Central. A shrewd operator who has worked hard over the past five years, he deserves enormous credit, along with Catherine Murphy, for taking the constitutional challenge to the Dail constituencies. With four TDs and a senator in the hunt for just three seats, it would be a huge achievement for the Independent to hold on.

11) Barry Andrews, Dun Laoghaire. If Fianna Fail is at 29% in Dublin, then seats previously thought safe come under threat and that includes Andrews. He has been an intelligent and measured contributor in the last five years.

12) Fiona O'Malley, Dun Laoghaire. A refreshingly honest and straight presence in today's spin-oriented politics, the Dail would be a duller place if she were absent. O'Malley's seat is under serious threat.

13) Sean Fleming, Laois-Offaly. FF should hold its three seats here with Fine Gael taking a second. But if Tom Parlon's vote holds up, Fleming looks the most vulnerable on the FF ticket. He probably should be a junior minister by now; he is intelligent and highly capable.