Former minister Brendan Howlin is expected to be elected unopposed as leader later today.
With just hours remaining to the close of nominations, it appears that the outgoing deputy leader Alan Kelly has failed to secure a seconder to enable him to contest the leadership.
Under Labour party rules only an elected TD can hold the position of leader of the party.
And only one of the seven elected can propose and second a candidate.
Despite declaring his interest in the job at an early stage, as the clock ticked late last night, Alan Kelly had failed to get any of the other six Labour TDs to second him.
That's despite even yesterday Mr Kelly insisting that the membership of the party should have a say in the election of a leader.
But the Parliamentary labour Party has discussed the matter at length in several meetings over the past week and appear to have reached the conclusion that a leadership contest at this stage is not in the best interests of the party.
And so when nominations close at noon today it's expected Brendan Howlin will be the only candidate and the former Public Expenditure minister will become the 12th leader of the Labour Party.
