Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has said his party will move the writ for the North Kildare by-election if the Government fails to do so tomorrow.
Mr Rabbitte made the comments at the launch of his party's by-election campaign.
He said that if the two Government parties vote down the moving of the writs for the Meath and North Kildare by-elections, then Labour would propose that the Opposition parties adopt a policy of non co-operation in the Dáil.
Dempsey hoping for consensus
The Minister for Communications, Noel Dempsey, has said he hoped the Government and the Opposition could reach agreement on the timing of the by-elections.
Mr Dempsey said there are merits in holding both the by-elections on the same date, but there is no compulsion on the Government to do so.
He said if the writ is moved tomorrow to hold the Meath by-election, the Government would then discuss the matter. He said Fianna Fáil and its candidate were ready to contest the by-election whether it takes place before or after Easter.
Earlier the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, said the by-elections should be held on the same date. Ms Harney said it was clearly preferable for the political parties and from a cost point of view to hold both elections together. She said after Easter was probably the more appropriate date.
The need for a by-election in North Kildare came about after Charlie McCreevy's appointment as EU Commissioner, while the Meath seat became vacant in November when the former Taoiseach, John Bruton, was appointed EU ambassador to Washington.
