With four candidates now declared for the Fine Gael leadership and the possibility of more emerging over the weekend, it has been revealed that the plans to oust Mr John Bruton had been in the making before the damaging opinion poll was published.
Mr Jim Mitchell and Mr Michael Noonan discussed the prospects for another heave against Mr Bruton a week before the move was finally sparked by an Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll, The Irish Times has learned.
Mr Noonan approached Mr Mitchell a week before the poll was published and suggested they form a "dream team" alternative leadership ticket, with Mr Noonan running for leadership and agreeing to appoint Mr Mitchell as deputy leader. A group of Fine Gael TDs is understood to have put this idea to Mr Noonan. But Mr Mitchell did not agree to this proposal.
Meanwhile, opponents of Mr Bruton commissioned an opinion poll before Christmas and another last month to gather ammunition for a challenge. Different groups may have commissioned the two polls.
However, the publication of the Irish Times/MRBI poll last Thursday week and Mr Alan Shatter's immediate suggestion that Mr Bruton should resign forced the pace. When the two men met in Dublin again last Saturday, Mr Mitchell turned down the proposal of running as a number two to Mr Noonan, and instead proposed that both run for the leadership.
The majority of women in the Fine Gael parliamentary party yesterday came out in support of Mr Noonan, the front-runner. Mr Noonan's campaign manager, Mr Paul Bradford, yesterday issued a statement saying the seven would support him in next Friday's vote.
The seven are: Ms Monica Barnes, Ms Deirdre Clune, Ms Frances Fitzgerald and Ms Olivia Mitchell (all TDs) and Ms Mary Jackman, Ms Helen Keogh and Ms Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (all Senators). Four candidates have so far stated their intention to seek the leadership, and Mr Charles Flanagan will announce today whether he will become the fifth. There is speculation that Mr Alan Shatter or Mr Alan Dukes might consider going forward.
The party's spokesman on Tourism and Sport, Mr Bernard Allen, yesterday became the fourth to declare his candidacy. Mr Allen (56), a supporter of Mr Bruton this week, said he would be "a unifying figure". He said as a representative of Cork North Central - a constituency with both urban and rural areas - he understood the problems throughout the country.