THE Taoiseach has "no plans" to meet the EU Commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, prior to his discussions in Brussels tomorrow with the Commission President, Mr Jacques Santer.
However, it is expected Mr Ahern will publish a letter from Mr Flynn today regarding the alleged £50,000 payment to him from the London-based property developer, Mr Tom Gilmartin.
Government sources last night said that while no meeting had been arranged between the Taoiseach and the Commissioner, it was still possible the two men would meet in the Commission building. The sources said any discussions they might have privately would concern only negotiations on Agenda 2000.
Fine Gael intends to press the Taoiseach in the Dail today to state whether he intends to discuss the money from Mr Gilmartin with Mr Flynn if they meet in Brussels.
The party's front bench is expected to meet tomorrow to decide whether to press ahead later this month with a Dail motion calling on Mr Flynn to "consider his position".
But Fine Gael sources said they did not believe the motion, if it proceeded, would bluntly call on Mr Flynn to resign.
Mr Flynn's letter to the Taoiseach gives no indication whether he received the £50,000.
He was replying to a letter sent to him by Mr Ahern the day after the Dail passed a motion calling on him to make a statement on the matter. The Taoiseach had written to Mr Flynn drawing his attention to the motion passed in the Dail.
According to Mr Flynn's letter, he was co-operating "voluntarily" with the Flood Tribunal and had already met lawyers for the inquiry. His legal advice was that he should say nothing while he was co-operating with the tribunal. It would not be helpful if he made a statement at this time, he said.
Expressing the hope that everybody would understand his position, Mr Flynn thanked members of Fianna Fail who had made complimentary comments about him during the recent debate on the Fine Gael motion.
He has still not replied to the Fianna Fail party's request for an explanation about the controversial £50,000 which Mr Gilmartin insists was meant to be a donation to the party.