Mr Elio Malocco, publisher of a new Irish men's magazine, Patrick, has failed to have his application for membership of the National Union of Journalists accepted.
However, the NUJ's Publications and Public Relations branch has agreed to reassess Mr Malocco's application at its next meeting, to be held in January.
Mr Malocco, the former Irish Press Group solicitor who was jailed for defrauding the company, attended a meeting of the branch in Dublin on Tuesday night, but neither the proposer nor the seconder of his application was present. Mr Malocco was then proposed and seconded from the floor of the meeting, but the vote on his membership resulted in a tie.