The Government has defeated a Fine Gael attempt to move the writ for the three outstanding bye-elections by 81 votes to 77.
Earlier, during the debate, Government Chief Whip John Curran said the writ for the bye-elections in Dublin South, Waterford and Donegal South-West would be moved in the first quarter of next year.
Regarding the three outstanding by-elections, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said that they would not be held until 2011 at the earliest.
Mr Cowen said the Government has the Budget to prepare and the restructuring of the banking system to complete, and that is where its focus is.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin had indicated the three outstanding bye-elections will be held in the first half of next year.
Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, Mr Martin said the immediate priority of Government was tackling the economic and banking crisis, and that Chief Whip John Curran would be outlining the position in relation to the three contests in the Dáil this afternoon.
Mr Martin said the writs would not be moved before Christmas, but it was likely the Government would have the bye-elections held next year.
Sinn Féin has launched a High Court action aimed at forcing the election in Donegal and Fine Gael has tabled a Dáil motion seeking the moving of the writs which will be debated this afternoon.
Bank guarantee extended
The Government has won the vote to extend the bank guarantee by 83 votes to 74.
The Government motion to amend the Credit Institutions Scheme allows for the guarantee, which is due to expire tonight, to be extended until the end of December.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan earlier told the Dáil that if the guarantee had not been introduced, there would be no banking system and no economy.
Earlier, the Opposition seized on the issue for the first order of business.
It claimed it was ridiculous to curtail debate after a 12-week holiday and before the final bill for Anglo Irish Bank was known.
The Government comfortably won the first vote on the arrangements for that debate.
Fine Gael used the first Leaders Questions to press Brian Cowen on how much the taxpayer would be paying and whether there might be more to come.
Later, Mr Cowen said the Government did not yet know what the final figure for the cost of Anglo Irish Bank is.
Mr Cowen said the Government would not have the figure until the Financial Regulator conveyed it formerly tomorrow.
He said the Financial Regulator's estimate would be his very best figure as to what the final cost would be.
Mr Cowen added that as much certainty as could be brought to the situation would be brought to it tomorrow.
He said earlier references to €30bn were in the context of illustrating if that were the figure to be of that magnitude, the additional annual interest payment on the national debt would be €1.5bn.
Mr Cowen agreed that that was a staggering figure, but claimed every government that has had to recapitalise their banks has faced a similar situation.
Fianna Fáil to meet over communications
Elsewhere, the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party is to have a special discussion on improving communications and making greater connection with the public.
Former party whip Tom Kitt repeated his call for such a discussion at a meeting of the parliamentary party this afternoon, and the Taoiseach agreed that it could be held in the coming weeks.
Later, Deputy Kitt said he was pleased at the decision, saying that if the public were going to have confidence in the party, it had to improve its communication.
He added that he did not believe there would be a leadership challenge, unless a Cabinet Minister were to mount one.
Earlier, a senior Fianna Fáil backbencher had said he did not expect the Taoiseach's leadership to be discussed at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party this afternoon.
Cork North Central TD Noel O'Flynn, who was critical of Brian Cowen during the summer, said the matter was now closed and he would not be raising it this afternoon.
It is understood backbencher Ned O'Keeffe launched a strong attack on Finance Minister Brian Lenihans banking policy during the meeting.
Mr O'Keeffe likened NAMA to a third world strategy, and said the taxpayer had bought a 'pig in a poke'.
The Cork East TD called for a reshuffle and said Mr Lenihan should be moved from Finance.
While there is not normally a parliamentary party meeting in the first week of a new Dáil term, one was scheduled for this afternoon.
Its primary purpose was a discussion on the updated Bank Guarantee Scheme, which is to go through the Dáil this evening.
The Minister for Finance was expected to brief the parliamentary party meeting on the amended scheme, which will be voted on in the Dáil at 9pm.
Meanwhile, a 41-year-old man was arrested this morning after a concrete mixer truck was driven up to the gates of Leinster House.
