The future of the Aer Rianta director, Mr Dermot O'Leary, is to be discussed at a meeting between the chairman of the semi-State body, Mr Noel Hanlon, and the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, today.
However, the controversy concerning Mr O'Leary's role in arranging for Mr Lawlor and his wife Hazel to be assisted through Dublin Airport last month is not due for discussion, according to a Government spokesman.
The Cabinet holds its weekly meeting this morning. Last night a spokesman for the Minister said a time had not yet been arranged for the meeting with Mr Hanlon, although it is expected to be in the afternoon.
It is understood that Ms O'Rourke will then speak with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, on the matter.
She has made it clear she will not be making decisions on the issue herself, on the basis that Mr O'Leary was reappointed to the board in 1997 at the behest of the Taoiseach.
The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, is believed to be annoyed at how Ms O'Rourke has drawn him into the controversy, saying she would also have to discuss the matter with him since the Minister for Finance must be consulted when directors of State boards are removed from office.
Ms O'Rourke has also said she would consult the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, on the matter.
However, Ms Harney does not return from honeymoon until the end of the week.
One Government source said it was expected that Mr Hanlon might explain why he said on RTÉ last week that it was wrong for the Lawlors to have been afforded special treatment when he did not state this in the report to Ms O'Rourke on the episode.
The matter is to be discussed at the next Aer Rianta board meeting but that does not take place until the end of the month.
A code of practice for State bodies, which covers the conduct of directors, has been drawn up by the Department of Finance. It states that while it is not feasible to have a code of practice which will specifically provide for all situations which may arise, directors should bear in mind "that it is primarily their responsibility to ensure that all of their activities, whether covered specifically or otherwise in this document are governed by the ethical and other considerations implicit in it".
Fianna Fáil sources were unwilling to speculate yesterday on Mr O'Leary's future as a member of the party's national executive until there is an outcome to the questions surrounding his membership of the Aer Rianta board.
One source said Mr O'Leary attended these meetings infrequently, and could not remember him attending once since 1997. According to the rules and procedures of the party, the national executive is the "supreme governing body of the organisation", except when an ardfheis is in session.