THE fate of Radio Ireland's chief executive, Mr Dan Collins, will probably be decided before the weekend, following a decision by the IRTC, the Independent Radio and Television Commission, to open talks with Radio Ireland.
The IRTC and the board of Radio Ireland met yesterday and it is believed that the Radio Ireland board will be meeting again later this week, when, it is hoped an agreement can be reached between Mr Collins and the board - on his future.
The Commission held an emergency meeting yesterday and later issued a terse statement which simply said that the commission met to consider the situation in at Radio Ireland and would now hold discussions with Radio Ireland in relation to the it on "management structures".
The troubled national radio station has been in turmoil since the split between Mr Collins and the chairman, Mr John McColgan, and other promoters.
Mr Collins, the man at the centre of disputes at the station, was available to attend yesterday's board meeting but was not asked to talk to board members.
Once an agreement is reached on severance, the chief executive, who was approved by the commission, now looks certain to leave the company.
The IRTC, it is understood, is also concerned at the announcement that a temporary assistant controller of programmes is to be appointed and has been named.
He is Mr Andy Park, who was controller of programmes for Radio Clyde, which is owned by Scottish Radio Holdings. Mr Park's appointment has not been approved by the IRTC.
It is believed Mr Park was recommended by Mr Jimmy Gordon, the chairman of Scottish Radio Holdings. He made an independent but unsuccessful bid for the national licence, which Radio Ireland won. He later took up a share in Radio Ireland.
The necessary contract between the IRTC and Radio Ireland has not been approved. While this was of little consequence up until last week, it now gives the IRTC a leverage in its talks with the station as it can withhold agreement. The outstanding contractual issues are believed to be minor.
Meanwhile, Mr Collins is continuing to attend work every day and is acting in his role as chief executive.
It is believed the Radio Ireland management crisis will be discussed today by the Association of Independent Radio Stations, which represents the State's 21 local stations.
Radio Ireland is not on the agenda but as Mr Collins was a former member of the association management committee - when he was head of Radio Kerry - it is likely the organisation will want to voice its support for him.
A week ago, Mr Collins was told he had seven days to think about his future and the possibility of taking up a lesser position in the station. The deadline was reached on Monday but no action was taken.
The dispute is centred on the speed with which the station is being prepared for its March 17th opening. Before Christmas, the chairman, Mr McColgan, and some of the promoters of the station decided that progress was not fast enough.
Since then, Mr McColgan has been in effect executive chairman, while some of the promoters, Mr Robbie Wootton, Mr Denis Desmond and Mr Brian Molloy, have been working within the station even though they have no executive positions.
Mr Collins, it is understood, has claimed they have interfered in areas that are his responsibility: by involving themselves in programme policy and the hiring of staff.
It is believed that Mr McColgan personally hired a number of the major names, including Ms Emily O'Reilly and Mr Eamon Dunphy.