A meeting of Mayo Fianna Fáil members over the readmission of Independent TD Beverley Flynn to the party failed to reach agreement last night.
The meeting of some 50 members attached to the three Castlebar branches was adjourned last night after an hour-and-a-half's discussion.
Chairman Denis Gallagher said it was agreed to resume it at a later date when there had been further consultations with Fianna Fáil headquarters. The party's general secretary, Sean Dorgan, would be invited, he said.
Ms Flynn was expelled from Fianna Fáil in May 2004 following her failed Supreme Court libel appeal against RTÉ. Ms Flynn recently paid €1.225 million to RTÉ in settlement of her failed libel case.
But it is understood that she will not apply to rejoin her party until all legal proceedings are signed off formally early next month.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said in June that Ms Flynn's return to Fianna Fáil was a "process that has to be resolved with her local organisation" once her legal issues had been sorted out.
He described Ms Flynn as a person of "enormous ability" and said if she didn't have all the difficulties of the past she would have been a "very strong contender" for a promotion.