Discussions continue between the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, and the Government's chief science adviser, Barry McSweeney, after five weeks of controversy surrounding the adviser's doctoral degree.
The discussions were part of an "ongoing process", according to a spokeswoman in the department. "That is still under way," she said yesterday.
The controversy broke after it emerged Dr McSweeney received his PhD from Pacific Western University. The institution has been dismissed as a "degree mill" by commentators in the US. Its degrees are not recognised by the US or Swedish governments nor by a number of US states.
The focus, however, has remained on the degree itself, rather than on Dr McSweeney in his current role in developing science funding policy through 2013. Most commentators on the issue have been at pains to indicate he had performed his duties well.
Political sources suggest the situation should reach a conclusion some time this week.
Mr Martin said before the weekend that a decision might be made within a couple of days, raising expectations that the Cabinet might settle the issue at today's meeting.
This could not be confirmed yesterday, however.
Dr McSweeney could not be reached for comment.
The Labour Party's spokeswoman on education and science, Jan O'Sullivan, continued yesterday to press the Minister for details relating to the adviser.
"There are still unanswered questions about Dr McSweeney's claim that Pacific Western was different" when he received his degree in 1992, Ms O'Sullivan said yesterday.
She wrote to the Minister on November 4th, requesting more information, including details of the research conducted by Dr McSweeney for his PhD. "Neither of these have been clarified to my mind," she said.
