Government efforts will continue this morning to persuade the independent TD Mr Tom Gildea to go a step further in his apology to Mrs Nora Owen and avoid a Dβil motion of censure.
The Government chief whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, spent yesterday trying to persuade Mr Gildea to make a personal statement to the Dβil stating that he accepts there is no basis for the allegations which he made against the former Fine Gael minister for justice, Mrs Owen, last week.
However Fine Gael said last night that the signalling of a personal statement today by Mr Gildea would not be enough for the motion of censure to be withdrawn. They would need to know the content of the speech.
Any member of the Dβil who wishes to make a personal statement must simply make a request to the Ceann Comhairle.
The motion, to be moved in the Labour Party's Private Member's Time tonight, will be signed by deputies from the three main Opposition parties and would be voted on after three hours of debate tomorrow night. It says Mr Gildea made "outrageous unfounded allegations" and should be censured by the Dβil.
If Mr Gildea does ask the Ceann Comhairle for time to make a personal statement this morning he would need to submit the text of what he wishes to say. It is understood the text of the speech could be shown in advance to Fine Gael. If they were satisfied, the Labour Party then has until noon to submit a different Private Member's motion to replace the motion of censure.
If the motion goes ahead it will not be supported by the Government, which will table an amendment noting Mr Gildea's apology but not condoning his controversial remarks.
The other three independent TDs who support the Government were largely supportive of Mr Gildea when contacted by The Irish Times yesterday. Donegal TD Mr Harry Blaney said that Mr Gildea "said what he was feeling in relation to certain things that maybe he couldn't prove outside the Dβil and took advantage of the Dβil privilege".
Kerry TD Mr Jackie Healy-Rae said he would speak about the matter to Mr Gildea this morning. "He's always a very smooth operator who watches his words very carefully and doesn't say things lightly. In my considered view, once he withdrew the statements and apologised what more can he do?"