The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, may be forced to discipline a former junior minister, Ms Mary Wallace, who is refusing to attend Dáil sittings.
Ms Wallace, a TD for Meath, has told the party she will not come to the Dáil until she receives a personal telephone call from Mr Ahern explaining why he dropped her as minister of State for justice.
Matters will come to a head in September when the Dáil returns for a debate on the Nice Treaty referendum. Although the Coalition has a comfortable majority, with 89 seats, the boycott of the proceedings by a Fianna Fáil backbencher would be an embarrassment to Mr Ahern and the party.
Senior Fianna Fáil figures are hoping Ms Wallace will get over her disappointment during August and return to the House for the Nice debate. However, if this does not happen, Mr Ahern may be forced to act or face having his authority undermined.
Party sources believe Mr Ahern made an error in not personally contacting those junior ministers he intended dropping. It is understood that the Dublin South East TD, Mr Eoin Ryan, who was among those sacked, spoke to the Taoiseach only after he had earlier made contact with Mr Ahern's office.
The Wicklow TD, Mr Joe Jacob, and Cork North Central's Mr Danny Wallace, were not told they were going to be dropped from the junior ranks. However, they both have had reasonably long service as junior ministers and knew they were likely to be dropped. Ms Wallace was unavailable for comment yesterday.
