The Taoiseach and the president-designate of the EU Commission meet in Dublin today for discussions which will strongly influence Mr Ahern's choice of Ireland's next EU commissioner.
The Tanaiste will also attend Mr Ahern's meeting with Mr Romano Prodi. It is believed Mr Ahern, in consultation with Ms Harney, Tanaiste, could decide on Mr Padraig Flynn's successor as soon as next week, but the name will not be announced until after the European and local elections on June 11th.
Although the new commissioner may come from the current Dail, Government sources are ruling out Mr Ahern offering the job to a member of the Opposition such as Fine Gael's Mr Alan Dukes or Labour's Mr Dick Spring.
There is speculation that if the new commissioner comes from outside politics, it may be Irish Times columnist and former minister, Ms Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, because of her domestic and European political experience. It is understood Ms Geoghegan-Quinn has made her interest in the post known.
Mr Ahern and Ms Harney will discuss the kind of portfolio available to the next Irish commissioner with Mr Prodi, but Mr Ahern will not be referring to any possible candidates for the job by name.
Apart from Ms Harney, the Taoiseach has not discussed the matter with individual Ministers, some of whom have been tipped to replace Mr Flynn. "The Taoiseach is playing his cards very close to his chest on this one," said one Government source. "He will take soundings from Mr Prodi on what kind of portfolio might be available to the Irish nominee and then find a person to fit the bill. He is obviously very anxious that whoever he appoints gets a senior and high-profile portfolio."
The usually politically cautious Mr Ahern is understood to be reluctant to appoint a member of the current Dail because it would precipitate a by-election which the Government could lose. However, sources say if he believes only a Minister could secure a good portfolio he will appoint a member of the Cabinet.
Speculation has surrounded the Fianna Fail deputy leader and Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, who has considerable ministerial experience, but she is understood to have ruled herself out firmly.
The appointment of the Minister for Health would be politically attractive to the Taoiseach, given that Mr Cowen is a politician of considerable ability and Fianna Fail would stand a good chance of winning the subsequent by-election in his Laois-Offaly constituency. The party holds three of the five seats there and secured almost 50 per cent of the first preference vote in the last general election.
The Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods, who represents Dublin North East, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, who represents Cork South-West, and the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, who represents Louth, are also thought to be in the running if the Taoiseach appoints a Minister.
It is understood the Attorney General, Mr David Byrne, who is a close friend of the Taoiseach, is not interested.
Ms Geoghegan-Quinn announced her intention to retire from politics in January 1997 for personal reasons. She served in a number of ministries and was regarded as very impressive in her role as Minister of State for European Affairs from 1987 to 1991.
Relations between Mr Ahern and her were said to be strained when they were both in competition for the party leadership following the resignation of Mr Albert Reynolds in 1994, but Government sources say that would not be a factor if Mr Ahern felt she was suitable.
Her appointment could meet with some opposition from the Progressive Democrats, however, given her one-time close association with Mr Reynolds's supporters within Fianna Fail and the rivalry which existed between her and and the Minister of State and Galway West TD, Mr Robert Molloy, who left Fianna Fail to join the PDs.
