Calls are mounting for Irish leader Brian Cowen to quit over the country's 90bn-euro (£77bn, $124bn) bail-out by the EU and IMF.
Mr Cowen has phoned opposition leaders in what is seen as a bid to win support for delaying an election until a new budget is passed next month.
He announced on Monday that a general election would be held next year.
But the opposition is said to want a poll now and his own backbenchers are considering a no-confidence vote.
The government is due to publish a four-year economic recovery plan on Wednesday.
But the truth is the government is not expected to last another four months itself, the BBC's Mark Simpson reports from Dublin.
With the Dail (parliament) due to vote on the budget on 7 December, the coalition made up of Mr Cowen's Fianna Fail party and the Greens has just a three-seat majority, and faces a by-election on Thursday which it is expected to lose.
'There will be war'Late on Monday, the taoiseach (prime minister) phoned Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore.
