The High Court will be told on 18 October that the controversial Mayo TD has paid 1.125m to RTE in settlement of legal bills arising from her failed libel action against the national broadcaster. Following this legal formality, a meeting of the Fianna Fail national executive on 25 October is expected to approve Flynn's return to the party fold.

While declining to comment on the timing of her readmission, Flynn told the Sunday Tribune this weekend that, "Fianna Fail was always my true home and I am looking forward to being back".

Fianna Fail's general secretary Sean Dorgan is due in the Mayo constituency this week for a meeting to review the recent general election, but informed sources said Dorgan would also be "testing the waters about Flynn's return".

Dorgan will also meet party members in Castlebar in an attempt to minimise friction.

Under Fianna Fail rules, the restoration of Flynn's membership requires the backing of the party's national executive as it was that body which expelled her in 2004 after her unsuccessful Supreme Court libel appeal.

Flynn had claimed that a report on RTE news in 1998 which said she encouraged the evasion of tax while an employee of National Irish Bank had libelled her. After protracted negotiations over the legal bills arising from the libel action, Flynn paid 1.125m to RTE last month.