Taoiseach Brian Cowen has indicated that the Dáil is likely to return from its summer break on 29 September.
The final decision on the return date will be made tomorrow, the last day of the summer term.
This would give the Dáil a 12-week summer recess.
Separately, Brian Cowen told a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party last night that he will lead it into the next General Election in 2012.
In a 15-minute address responding to public criticism of his leadership, Mr Cowen said that internal criticism had to stop.
It has been a rough couple of weeks for Fianna Fáil due to a series of disastrous opinion poll results, tussles with the Greens over policy, and backbench mutterings about Mr Cowen's leadership.
The Taoiseach took on his critics at the last parliamentary party meeting before the summer break.
He said everyone had a role to play in getting the party's message across and that internal criticism should stop.
Two of those critics, John McGuinness and Noel O'Flynn, are understood to have spoken at the meeting, as well as a number of supporters of the leadership.
However, a few more TDs and Senators may end up losing the party whip if they fail to support the Civil Partnership and Dog Breeding Bills in the coming days.
