Green convention:An estimated 500 Green Party delegates will meet in Dublin today to ratify the party's entry into government with Fianna Fáil.
Two-thirds of the members must vote in favour of the coalition deal struck late last night between Bertie Ahern and Trevor Sargent.
Under party rules, the Greens are obliged to put any such deal to its membership. Today's gathering will take place in the Mansion House, Dublin, starting at 1pm.
Up to 1,000 party members who are fully paid up for more than six months are entitled to attend today's special convention, but only 500 are expected to turn up given the short notice and the fact that it is being held mid-week.
The group gathering today will include the party's 30 or so city and county councillors, town commissioners, the national executive committee and parliamentary party.
Each member will be presented with a copy of the programme for government agreed between Fianna Fáil and the Greens last night.
The members will gather at 1pm to study the document and the meeting will begin at 3pm with a presentation and a questions-and-answer session. The debate will commence at 6pm with a vote scheduled for 8.30pm and a result expected soon after 9pm.
The vote will be Yes or No to the programme for government. Members will not be told how many ministries the party can expect if they approve a coalition with Fianna Fáil.
A committee - comprising the party's general secretary, Dónall Geoghegan; his assistant, Alison Martin; the party's co-ordinator, Stiofán Nutty; and its parliamentary group secretary, Colm Ó Caomhanaigh - was established this year to draw up procedures for the special convention to decide on going into government.