French President Nicholas Sarkozy's visit to Dublin tomorrow is still mired in controversy as doubt continues to surround plans to have him meet with Opposition party leaders.
The French side agreed to meeting separately with Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny and Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore only after the direct intervention of the Taoiseach Brian Cowen on his return from the United States.
Up to then, the French had wanted the two to meet with Mr Sarkozy in the French Embassy, along with 15 other figures prominent during the Lisbon Treaty campaign, including Declan Ganley and Patricia McKenna.
Tonight a Fine Gael spokesman said the party was satisfied with the outcome. But a Labour Party spokesman said: "The discussions between ourselves and other parties, the French, are ongoing.
"We would be agreeable to such a meeting but we would have to be assured it would give us a meaningful opportunity to discuss the issues," he added.
Mr Sarkozy will meet the Opposition leaders on his return from the Embassy and before he holds a press conference alongside Taoiseach Cowen, who is known to be concerned by the damage the visit's arrangements has caused to the Yes side.
During the embassy meeting, No and Yes campaigners will have just 3 minutes to make their case to the French leader, who last week said that the Irish had to vote again on the treaty.
The Irish Government, which had desperately wanted any public talk about Lisbon until September at the earliest, is concerned that Mr Sarkozy's direct style will infuriate Irish voters on both sides of the debate.
"He has put a significant number of people who voted Yes last time into the No camp all on his own. All because he thinks he can behave like Superman," complained one Irish political figure.
Earlier, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore has said he would be "quite happy" to hold talks on the Lisbon Treaty with the French president – but a formal confirmation is still awaited.
Mr Gilmore issued a statement on Friday saying he would not be attending a planned hour-long round-table meeting with Mr Sarkozy at the French embassy in Dublin tomorrow.
Mr Sarkozy has said he is holding the meeting to help "understand" the No vote in the recent Lisbon Treaty referendum, though, in reality, little real engagement is going to be possible.
The Government had wanted Mr Sarkozy to meet with Taoiseach Cowen and then have a separate meeting with political party leaders in Farmleigh before returning to Government Buildings for a press conference and home.
Mr Sarkozy's brief visit to Ireland is being structured around a meeting and lunch with Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
It is regarded as an attempt by the French EU presidency to help craft a way out of Europe's post-referendum crisis ahead of the October summit.
Tomorrow's round-table event will be attended by No campaigners including Patricia McKenna, Richard Boyd Barrett, Declan Ganley and Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. Supporters of the Lisbon Treaty due to attend include the former president of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, IFA president Padraig Walshe, Ibec director Turlough O'Sullivan and Ictu general secretary David Begg.