Pat Cox; and European Commission President Romano Prodi at an
EU summit in Brussels on Friday
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, is today consulting EU leaders in an effort to secure agreement on a successor to Mr Romano Prodi as president of the European Commission.
EU Presidency spokesman
Fresh from concluding agreement on a EU Constitution, Mr Ahern is likely to hear his name being suggested as a candidate that would meet approval.
Discussions on a candidate failed to produce agreement during last week's summit and no further summit will be held until an agreed candidate has been identified. It emerged today that a summit may take place at the end of this month.
A spokesman for the Presidency said: "Contacts are going on to see if there is the basis for an agreement. If that is the case, the two possible dates for a summit would be June 27th or June 30th". The summit would probably be in Brussels.
It is understood Mr Ahern is coming under pressure to allow his name to go forward.
Following the following the withdrawal of Belgium's Prime Minister, Mr Guy Verhofstadt, the French President, Mr Jacques Chirac, is believed to be willing to support Mr Ahern if he puts his name forward.
Britain and Italy opposed Mr Verhofstadt, but Mr Ahern could count on the support of Britain, giving him the support of two of the Big Four nations. Germany would also be expected to support Mr Ahern.
Other candidates include Portugal's Prime Minister, Mr Jose Manuel Durão Barroso; Austrian Chancellor Mr Wolfgang Schüssel, and the EU's foreign policy chief, Mr Javier Solana.
Also under consideration is the Danish Prime Minister, Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen; the former Finnish prime minister, Mr Paavo Lipponen; the Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner, Mr Antonio Vitorino; and the outgoing president of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox.