The Government is expected to defeat an Opposition motion censuring the Independent TD, Mr Thomas Gildea, in a Dβil vote tonight.
The Donegal TD yesterday refused to make a personal speech to the Dβil and go further in his apology to the former minister for justice, Mrs Nora Owen, for allegations he made in the Dβil last week.
As a result of the refusal the debate on the motion of censure, tabled by the main Opposition parties, began last night and will be voted on tonight.
Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party returned to the Dβil yesterday after a two-day boycott over the controversy.
The Government chief whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, had prevailed on Mr Gildea to state in a personal speech to the Dβil that there was no basis for the allegations he had made against Mrs Owen.
But Mr Gildea refused to make the speech and instead insisted the Government table an amendment to the motion in order to guarantee his continued support in Dβil votes.
According to Mr Brennan Mr Gildea felt he had gone far enough in withdrawing the allegations and apologising for them. He did not want any "extra humiliation and rubbing his nose in it", said Mr Brennan.
The Government, with the support of the four Independent TDs, including Mr Gildea, should have a majority for its amendment which notes his apology and the fact that he had withdrawn his allegations.
There was speculation in Leinster House early yesterday that Mr Gildea would make the personal speech.
However, it is understood that he changed his mind when he realised how far he would have to go before the motion of censure would be withdrawn.
His three Independent colleagues, Ms Mildred Fox, Mr Harry Blaney and Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, have been supportive of Mr Gildea, pointing to his withdrawal of the remarks and his apology to Mrs Owen.
Mr Blaney told The Irish Times yesterday that Mr Gildea had been loyal to the Government in recent years. "On that basis they owe him, and I support that. He has already apologised."
Meanwhile the former chief executive of Cable Management Ireland, Mr Ray Doyle, has written to the Ceann Comhairle following the remarks made by Mr Gildea last week.
In those comments he described Mrs Owen as an "enthusiastic and willing handmaiden" of the company and claiming that she had received financial remuneration.
Mr Doyle said: "I write to you as my only means of redress for a grave wrong and injury perpetrated on me by a member of the Oireachtas who, in so doing, shamelessly and with total disregard for the unfair limitations imposed on ordinary members of the public to protect themselves against such unfair attacks, abused the privilege of the Houses of the Oireachtas."
The fact that Mr Gildea had apologised to Mrs Owen and her party for any hurt caused, he said, "is of little comfort to me and to the many fine people who held responsibility in the board and management of Cable Management Ireland Ltd."
Mr Doyle described as "scandalous and entirely unacceptable" the fact that to his "great pain and embarrassment" he had been "the butt of jibe, jokes and comment" as a result of Mr Gildea's remarks.
However, under Dβil procedure a certain formula of words must be used to make such a complaint. The Ceann Comhairle has written to Mr Doyle pointing out that no action may be taken until this occurs.
Under this Dβil rule the Ceann Comhairle could direct a particular deputy to make a personal explanation to the Dβil, or that the matter come before the Committee on Procedures and Privilege.