EU officials have indicated that no unanimous candidate for the post of president has yet emerged ahead of Thursday's summit in Brussels.
Under the Lisbon Treaty, the president and the foreign policy chief will be responsible for conducting EU policy abroad, following a common foreign and security blueprint that will be drawn up by the 27 heads of state or government.
Former Taoiseach John Bruton, who recently completed his term as EU ambassador in Washington, is one of those in the running for the post.
Last week, Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche cautioned Europe against what he called the 'childish beauty contest' in selecting a president.
Speaking at the European Affairs Committee, Dick Roche said people with the competence and political experience should be identified, not a 'prima donna' or somebody who would be a star performer.
The minister said he believed John Bruton had many of the qualities that were specifically needed to fulfil the job of president.
Mr Roche said his preferred method of selecting the president and the high commissioner would be by consensus and not by qualified majority vote, which he said could potentially end up an attempt by the bigger parties - such as the EPP or the ELDR - to carve up issues between themselves.
He said he hoped a number of issues would be resolved at a special meeting of EU heads of state in the next week.
