The Labour Party is expected to be asked to add former Labour TD, Cllr Eric Byrne, on to the ticket for next year's Dublin City Council elections, following his defeat before a party convention.
Mr Byrne, a sitting councillor, received just three votes at a selection convention to pick two candidates for the Crumlin-Kimmage ward and was defeated by Mr Gearóid Ó Maoilmhichill and Ms Audrey Goggins.
However, party figures believe that the vote result followed on foot of a pact between Mr Byrne and Ms Goggins, a long-time supporter of Mr Byrne since his time in the Workers Party.
"There is no way that she would have got 17 votes and Eric just three unless they agreed something. This way, they must believe that Eric will have to be added to the ticket," one source told The Irish Times last night.
Mr Ó Maoilmhichill, the National Youth Federation's head of communications, and Ms Goggins each received 17 votes, exceeding the quota of 15 on the first count.
Ms Helen O'Brien received five votes.