The battle for the Fine Gael leadership will resume in earnest today, following a bank holiday lull, in advance of the closing period for nominations at noon tomorrow.
The four declared candidates continued to make public pitches for the support of members of the 49-strong parliamentary party, which meets to decide the issue on Wednesday. So far, Mayo TD Mr Enda Kenny appears to be ahead of Carlow/Kilkenny TD Mr Phil Hogan, Dublin North Central's Mr Richard Bruton and Dublin South Central's Mr Gay Mitchell.
However, members of Fine Gael dissatisfied with the decision to hold a speedy election of a new leader have been asked to attend a public meeting in Dublin tomorrow night.
Two defeated party candidates, Wicklow's Mr Raymond O'Rourke and Dublin South East's Mr Colm MacEochaidh, have called the meeting for 7.30 p.m. at the Gresham Hotel.
"The focus on Enda Kenny or Phil Hogan shows that this is becoming a contest of personalities, rather than of policies, the very thing it should not be," said Mr MacEochaidh.
Urging delay, Mr O'Rourke said: "The problems facing Fine Gael are far more fundamental than mere leadership. If it were a matter of leadership, things would be so simple. We are the future of the party and must not be sidelined by those merely interested in having a leader to put forward as a taoiseach nominee on June 6th."
However, the disaffected duo have received little support so far from most candidates, though Mr Bruton has left open the option that a party president could be appointed.
He said: "We are operating within the rules as they now stand. We have to start being relevant from the first day the Dáil is back."
Mr Kenny said he had "no problem" with the grassroots having a vote, but Fine Gael would "appear rudderless and very much in disarray" if left without a leader for three months.
Significant numbers of the parliamentary party - even those unprepared to vote for him - believe that Mr Mitchell has succeeded better than the others in defining Fine Gael's future role.
He said: "I believe it is possible for us to get 30 per cent of the vote. We are not trying to please everyone and we can aim at that if we have a clear sense of identity."
Faced with charges that he is weak on vision, Mr Hogan said Fine Gael should make itself "central to shaping modern Ireland".
Promising equality of opportunity, he said Ireland was a country that "rewards effort, values initiative, encourages entrepreneurship, and where begrudgery will no longer be a national past-time.
"The key lesson for Fine Gael arising from the recent general election is its urgent need to define its place in Irish politics and set out clear guiding principles."
The four candidates, who refrained from directly lobbying their colleagues yesterday, are expected to be in contact today, though all are determined to remain in the race until the end.
Estimating support has been difficult, since more than a few TDs and senators have refused direct commitments, while others have promised support to more than one candidate and, in some cases, all.
How the party's senators vote could hold the key to the election, particularly since most are keen to win nominations to run again.
One source said: "If you had to bet, and it would be a bet, then you would have thought that Enda would do better than the others with the senators."
