Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's decision to favour Minister for Finance Brian Cowen as his successor has been quietly criticised by a Cabinet colleague and possible contender for the Fianna Fáil leadership, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern.
"The whole issue of leadership is not on the agenda and won't be on the agenda as the Taoiseach has said for some considerable time, and I think it is jumping by anybody to be speculating in that respect. Even the Taoiseach, yes," he said.
Many parliamentary party colleagues regard the succession race as being effectively over before it has even begun because of Mr Cowen's popularity.
However, most believed that Mr Ahern's low-key, somewhat distracted speech to them during a closed session on Monday reflected his preoccupation with his return to the Mahon tribunal this week.
Following the general election, the Taoiseach said Mr Cowen was his favoured candidate to replace him, a statement that provoked quiet annoyance among Dermot Ahern and other leadership hopefuls, such as Mary Hanafin and Micheál Martin, who were all left in their outgoing Cabinet portfolios despite speculation that they might broaden their experience.
