The future of the Progressive Democrats senator, Ms Helen Keogh, is likely to be determined today, following speculation that she was considering leaving the party to join Fine Gael. The matter is expected to come to a head at a parliamentary party meeting today.
Ms Keogh is understood to have been having talks with Fine Gael about the possibility of contesting the next general election for the party in the Dun Laoghaire constituency.
She lost her Dail seat at the last election. If she did join Fine Gael it is understood the PDs would express the view that she should also resign her Seanad seat. She was a Taoiseach's nominee.
Ms Keogh was recently critical of the party leadership for supporting the nomination of Mr Hugh O'Flaherty for the European Investment Bank. She said the party leader, Ms Mary Harney, made an honest error in going along with the Fianna Fail initiative.
A PD spokesman declined to comment apart from saying that 10 days ago Ms Keogh gave the party's national executive a "categoric assurance" she was not leaving. He added: "We have no information about her intentions." There has been no contact between Ms Keogh and the party in the last two days.
The PDs hold their selection convention for Dun Laoghaire on June 29th.
The two Fine Gael TDs for Dun Laoghaire, Ms Monica Barnes and Mr Sean Barrett, are retiring at the next election.
Ms Barnes has spoken informally to Ms Keogh about the possibility of standing for Fine Gael in Dun Laoghaire in recent months. Ms Keogh was not available for comment last night.