Dana Rosemary Scallon has failed in her attempt to secure nominations from Mayo and Sligo County Councils in her bid to be put forward as a candidate for the presidency.
The Fine Gael group from the Mayo Council discussed the issue for two hours this afternoon.
They said afterwards that they could not legally bring a motion before the council because the Environment Minister has not signed an order for the date of polling in the election.
A spokeswoman for the department confirmed that the order had not yet been signed, but said that it would be signed later this week.
Fine Gael's Eddie Stanton said there was no question of the party attempting to block Dana standing as a candidate and there had been no directive from headquarters as to how they should deal with the issue this afternoon.
Earlier, the former MEP confirmed that she is in the process of writing to every county council in the country to ask if they would support her nomination in the presidential election.
To secure a nomination for the election, which would take place next month, a person would need the support of four councils or the backing of 20 members of the Oireachtas.
Greens to seek nomination for Ryan
The Green Party announced today it is to seek a presidential nomination for its Dublin South TD, Eamon Ryan.
The party is to try to gather 20 members of the Oireachtas to support Mr Ryan's nomination.
The decision was made after former UN official Denis Halliday decided not to seek a nomination.
Deputy Ryan told RTÉ News he wanted to be a new, young President, and to ask questions about Irish society and its role in the world. His nomination is subject to approval by the party's national council.
Separately, President Mary McAleese is expected to nominate herself tomorrow for a second seven-year term in Áras an Uachtaráin.
Elsewhere, the Labour Party, which meets over the next two days in Wexford, is expected to decide whether or not to put up a candidate.
There are growing indications that the party will not put forward a candidate and instead concentrate its efforts in the coming months on the two by-elections in Meath and Kildare.
