Talks were talking place behind closed doors in Limerick yesterday to save a pact that was designed to secure the chains of office for the Labour Party candidate in next Monday's mayoral election.
Sources indicated yesterday that Cllr Joe Leddin's chances of securing the mayoralty could be scuppered for the second year in a row following a party split.
Cllr Leddin (36), who is the official Labour Party candidate, needs nine of the 17 votes on Limerick City Council to secure victory in the mayoral election.
A rainbow pact - agreed last Christmas between Fine Gael, Labour and Independent councillor Jim Long - should have guaranteed Cllr Leddin 10 votes and the chains of office.
However, the race to be mayor has now been thrown wide open following an internal row in the Labour Party in Limerick.
It is understood that two of the four Labour councillors have refused to endorse the party's official candidate following an ongoing dispute over Cllr Leddin's appointment as parliamentary adviser to Jan O'Sullivan TD.
The reluctance, to date, of Cllr Kieran Walsh and Cllr James Houlihan to support the official candidate has also caused a major headache for Labour Party headquarters in the run-up to the next general election.
Their position in the Labour Party could now be in serious jeopardy if they continue to refuse to back Cllr Leddin.
Councillors from all parties were locked in intensive discussions yesterday in an attempt to make the numbers add up ahead of next Monday's election.
Independent councillor Jim Long, who has already pledged his support to Cllr Leddin, said the split in the Labour Party was ominous for Ms O'Sullivan's chances of retaining her seat in next year's general election.
The 17-member Limerick City Council is composed of five Fine Gael councillors, four Labour, two Fianna Fáil and six Independents. The result of the mayoral election should be known by 8pm next Monday night.
In Clare, Fianna Fáil councillor Flan Garvey is set to become the county's new mayor at Clare County Council's annual general meeting on June 30th. Cllr Brian Meaney (Greens) is expected to be elected deputy mayor.
The anticipated election of the two forms part of a contentious agreement made between Fianna Fáil and Independents two years ago that leaves Fine Gael with only two of the overall 10 mayoral posts on the council.
Meanwhile, North Tipperary's newly elected mayor, Independent councillor Jim Ryan, says he will refuse requests to travel abroad on mayoral trips during his term.
"I will refuse to go on these trips to America and places, as I think they are a complete waste of Tipperary money," he said.