Senior Fianna Fáil activists in Mayo have agreed to work with the national executive of the party on devising a strategy for a "strife-free" readmission of Independent TD Beverley Flynn to the party fold.
However, the timing of this readmission, in the light of the Taoiseach's appearance later this week at the Mahon tribunal, influenced the decision to adjourn Monday night's meeting on the issue, according to party sources.
"It is the Taoiseach who wants Ms Flynn back. If he encounters difficulties, this should change the picture," one senior party official told The Irish Times yesterday.
Ms Flynn was making no comment yesterday on the outcome of the 90-minute debate by members of three Castlebar cumainn the previous night. A statement issued by the party's constituency organiser for Mayo, Denis Gallagher, afterwards said it was agreed that the party's general secretary, Seán Dorgan, should be asked to attend a resumed session.
Mr Gallagher said yesterday that no date has been set for resumption, as this would depend on Mr Dorgan's diary.
He said there was frank and open discussion on procedural issues - specifically, the Taoiseach's comments 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.
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.
Former senator Frank Chambers, who ran unsuccessfully for Fianna Fáil in the Westport area during the general election, expressed his concern at the meeting about the impact of Ms Flynn's election campaign on the party in the constituency, and about the methodology for readmission.
Cllr Chambers said yesterday that he would accept any decision of the party's cumainn in relation to her return, and it was the Taoiseach's prerogative. "The people never expelled her - the national executive did - and it is up to it to handle readmission," he said.
New Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary is among party members in Mayo supporting Ms Flynn's return. Last June, he had expressed concern about any move to award her a junior ministry as part of her post-election deal with the Government, but he said that Mr Ahern's remarks in this regard had been "misinterpreted".
Several speakers at the meeting raised the issue of timing because of the Taoiseach's appearance at the Mahon tribunal.