Government and opposition party whips will this morning consider how the Dail will discuss the behaviour of Mr Liam Lawlor next week, amid reports that he will speak in any debate on the matter.
The Clerk of the Dail gave detailed advice this week on how the matter should be debated to ensure Mr Lawlor is given a right to be heard. The resumption of the Dail next Tuesday is likely to be dominated by the issue.
The Government is expected to propose a motion, as outlined last Friday by the Taoiseach, calling on Mr Lawlor to co-operate with the Flood tribunal within the time-scale set out by the High Court, and saying he should resign his seat if he does not do so.
Opposition parties want to call on him to resign forthwith, and are likely to table an amendment to this effect. The Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, will also move a resolution to remove Mr Lawlor from two committees of which he remains a member.
Meanwhile, Mr Lawlor went to Leinster House yesterday afternoon shortly after his release from jail. He is believed to have spent some time in his TD's office and went for a drink in the Dail Members' Bar. Fine Gael's front bench meeting yesterday left open the prospect of putting forward its own motion in Private Members' Time on Tuesday night should the Government not table one in Government time.
The front bench also postponed a decision on the Labour Party's call on it to withdraw from discussions with Fianna Fail on Dail reform. However, doubts have emerged within the party over whether such a boycott would be an effective sanction on the Government. ail is doing this to benefit itself.