A meeting of EU industry ministers in Brussels has failed to reach agreement on guidelines for research involving embryos.
A similar meeting last week also failed to reach agreement on the controversial issue of stem cell research.
It was believed that the EU Research Commissioner, Mr Philippe Busquin, had been working behind the scenes to broker a compromise proposal. However, today's meeting broke up without any agreement being reached by the ministers which means the issue may have to be decided during the Irish Presidency which begins on January 1st.
Before today's meeting a spokesman for Ms Harney's Department said: "Our position remains that we want guidelines and we will work towards achieving a consensus. That goes back to our original position that we don't want research going forward in an unregulated environment."
Other countries are opposed to guidelines.