EU leaders are now focusing on filling the powerful posts created by the Lisbon Treaty - one of which is wanted by former Taoiseach John Bruton - after the Czech President finally signed the reform document yesterday.
But Taoiseach Brian Cowen won't be campaigning for Mr Bruton until he finds out if there is enough support for the former Fine Gael leader to become EU President.
Eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus accepted defeat on his resistance to the Treaty after his country's constitutional court threw out a legal challenge.
The Czechs became the last of the 27 member states to ratify the Treaty, which is expected to come into effect from December 1.
The final signature even forced the Tory leadership to drop their plans to hold a referendum on the Treaty in Britain.
Obstacle
The Conservatives shadow foreign secretary William Hague said it was "no longer possible" to put the treaty to a popular vote after President Klaus removed the last obstacle to full ratification.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen is now on standby to travel to a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday week when debate will focus on who will take up the new post of President of the EU Council and High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
The positions of EU President and foreign policy chief are the plum jobs to arise from a ratification of Lisbon.
Mr Bruton is still an outside bet for the EU President's post.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny asked Mr Cowen what "direct contact" he intended to make on behalf of Mr Bruton's candidacy.
The Fine Gael leader said as a vice-president of the European People's Party, he would be happy to assist the Taoiseach and make contact with the 14 prime ministers in this group.
Mr Cowen again reiterated the Government will weigh in behind Mr Bruton if there is sufficient support for him emerging.
He said he was not asked by the former Taoiseach to put forward his name on behalf of theIrish Government and was not asked to conduct a campaign on his behalf.
The Swedish Government as holders of the EU Presidency will now conduct confidential conversation with each Government to find out what level of support exists for any candidate or sitting prime minister who might want the post.
"Until the Swedish Presidency does that and conveys to me its assessment of the situation, I do not believe anything can be done other than consider what is the position.
"If it is the case, as Mr Bruton has outlined, that no member of the Council is emerging as a prospective President, he is making himself available as a candidate.
"We must wait and see how the situation develops," he said.
The appointment of the EU President and foreign policy chief will then allow for the European Commissioners to be appointed
Former Fianna Fail minister Maire Geoghegan-Quinn remains the favourite to become Ireland's next European Commissioner.
Ireland is still favoured in EU circles to take the agriculture portfolio, with Tanaiste Mary Coughlan the preferred choice of some countries. But Ms Geoghegan-Quinn is thought to be in line to become the Commissioner in charge of the EU Budget.
