Minister of State Kathleen Lynch has not yet made a decision on whether she will contest the next general election, a Labour Party spokesperson has said.
The Cork North Central TD yesterday missed the deadline for nominations ahead of a selection convention next Thursday.
RTÉ News understands party headquarters are giving Ms Lynch, first elected to the Dáil some 21 years ago, the "time and space" to make a decision.
This could even mean next week's party selection convention for the four-seat constituency will be postponed.
Ms Lynch is viewed as crucial to the party's chances of retaining a seat in Cork North Central, where the other sitting TDs include Sinn Féin’s Jonathan O'Brien, Billy Kelleher of Fianna Fáil, and Minister of State for European Affairs Dara Murphy (Fine Gael).
As things stand no one has sought a Labour Party nomination in the constituency where the Socialist Party's Mick Barry recorded almost 10% of the first preference vote in 2011.
Ms Lynch's running mate in that election, Senator John Gilroy, said recently he would not contest the next election and would instead back her campaign.
She was unavailable for comment today.
