The ruling bodies of Labour and Democratic Left have overwhelmingly endorsed proposals for a merger, clearing the way for a final decision by their party memberships next month.
At a meeting of its general council yesterday, Labour's MEP, Ms Bernie Malone, and the Dublin North West TD Ms Roisin Shortall abstained in the vote on the negotiated agreement. No one voted against, however, and there were 50 members in favour.
Later last night, after a three-hour meeting, the national executive of Democratic Left also voted to endorse the agreement, with only one dissenting voice. Twenty two members voted in favour and four abstained.
The decisions pave the way for separate delegate conferences in Dublin on December 12th: Labour's in the National Concert Hall, and Democratic Left's in the Shelbourne Hotel. If finally approved by delegates, the new party is planned to be up and running not later than February 1st.
Yesterday's Labour meeting discussed a privately commissioned poll which shows that 18 per cent of the party's supporters oppose the merger.
But, speaking immediately afterwards, the deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, said that almost all of the 29 members who spoke in the debate had been enthusiastic about the proposal.
Mr Howlin added there had been a determination at the meeting to move past personality issues and to get on with creating an ideologically unified left.
"Speaker after speaker stressed that two and two would have to equal five, that the sum of the two parties must be greater than the whole," he said.
Last night, the Democratic Left leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa also insisted that the move to merge was motivated by a belief that a greater left-wing force could be created.
Earlier, Ms Malone said she had voiced her opposition at the Labour meeting to being joined on the Labour ticket for the next European elections by Mr De Rossa. While there were expressions of support, however, she admitted no one had joined her in opposing a two-candidate ticket.
Ms Malone added that the new role of party president - created for Mr De Rossa - "presents problems for a lot of members". She said she had sought clarification from the leadership on a clause of the agreement which states that the president shall speak for the party "nationally and internationally".
A spokesman said Mr Howlin had told the meeting the reference to the president's speaking role was a simple "geographic" one. "It's about where he can speak rather than what he speaks about," the spokesman added.
