The Assembly's Preparation for Government Committee will meet again today in an effort to break the enduring deadlock over the appointment of a chair.
A series of meetings yesterday at Stormont failed to resolve the question in the face of DUP opposition to Sinn Féin sharing the position. However sources at Stormont have suggested that a solution may emerge today as some of the acrimony from Monday's and yesterday's meetings dissolved.
It is understood that the 14-member committee, which has its membership drawn from Sinn Féin, the DUP, Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and Alliance, will examine a range of options which could permit some progress.
The committee is tasked with "scoping" or outlining obstacles blocking the return of devolved powers in time for a visit by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair at the end of the month.
Members could decide later today to permit representatives from the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and Alliance to chair the next three meetings of the committee, before again confronting the question of a Sinn Féin or DUP member taking the chair.
Another option involves Assembly deputy speakers Jim Wells of the DUP and Sinn Féin's Francie Molloy to share the position, while a last resort appears to be to refer the issue to Northern Secretary Peter Hain to nominate a chair.
Mr Hain has already warned that failure of the committee to get on with its work could determine his thinking about referring future work to the Assembly.
The Assembly meanwhile voted unanimously to call on the British government not to proceed with the imposition of further industrial rates on local businesses.
So-called "de-rating" has been in effect in Northern Ireland since partition, but rates on industry have gradually been introduced over the past two years and now stand at 25 per cent.
Assembly members from all parties in the chamber denounced the planned rise in rates to 100 per cent.