The President, Mrs McAleese, must announce before the end of this month whether she is to seek a second term in Áras an Uachtaráin after the Government yesterday set Friday, October 1st, as the closing date for nominations for the presidency.
Yesterday's Cabinet meeting also set Wednesday, October 22nd, as the date for a presidential election should it be necessary.
However, with Fine Gael having ruled itself out of the contest, and continuing doubts over whether Labour will run a candidate, there may yet be no opposition to Mrs McAleese should she, as expected, decide to run. Mrs McAleese is expected to announce her decision within a week.
Former MEP Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon has not ruled out running. Her spokesman said last week she would wait until the President announced her intentions before making up her own mind.
The candidacy of peace activist and former UN official Mr Denis Halliday has been promoted by Independent TD Mr Finian McGrath and others. He has said he will reserve his position until it is known what Labour intends to do.
While many in Labour were initially enthusiastic about contesting the election, party sources now point to the cost of running a campaign, and say they believe the money should be used for other purposes. They also have doubts about the prospects of achieving a creditable result against the incumbent President.
While no decision has been announced, a Labour candidate is now considered unlikely.
The Labour parliamentary party will discuss the issue at its two-day parliamentary party meeting in Co Wexford next week, with a decision being made by the party's national executive next Thursday.
The Minister for the Environment will make the orders necessary to set the date for nominations and a possible election next week.
Every person who is an Irish citizen and is included on the register of electors for a constituency is entitled to vote in the election.