The Progressive Democrats are expected to join with Fianna Fail in nominating Prof Mary McAleese as an agreed presidential candidate at tomorrow's meeting of the parliamentary party.
The Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Employment and Trade, Ms Harney, is due to discuss the matter with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, later today and Ms McAleese would then be invited to address tomorrow's meeting of the Progressive Democrats parliamentary party.
The initiative followed lengthy consideration of the issue within the Progressive Democrats parliamentary party last week and at a meeting of the party's general council on Saturday.
Ms Harney said the options put to the party were to have a free vote, as had happened in the 1990 presidential election campaign, or to seek to endorse Ms McAleese as a joint candidate of the Government parties.
On balance, the party decided on the latter option.
The Tanaiste said she would now discuss the matter with Mr Ahern and, tomorrow, they would explore with Ms McAleese the possibility of her becoming the candidate of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats.
The Progressive Democrats were not interested in merely endorsing Ms McAleese. The party wanted a joint nomination so that it could participate actively in the election campaign, Ms Harney said.