Enda Kenny has not laid out a comprehensive policy platform at this stage, but plans to send an outline of his plans to all 72 members of the parliamentary party this week.
However last night he was quick to reject a claim from Mr Jim Mitchell that he represented the "inert and conservative" section of the party. "I live and work in the most competitive Fine Gael constituency in the country, returning three Fine Gael TDs. Any candidate representing inertia would simply not survive politically here," he said.
He has promised to revitalise Fine Gael - indeed to "electrify" it - but details as to how he intends to do this have not yet been given.
He gave some indication as to his policy priorities yesterday, saying that under his leadership the party would "set new priorities for a wealthy nation that has so far shown itself incapable of offering proper standards in basic public services".
He gave a list of general policy priorities yesterday in response to Mr Mitchell:
To end the sub-standard health services offered to public patients;
To focus education resources on the one in six children who leave school without basic literacy skills;
To give carers - "the most neglected group in the tiger economy" - a fair deal;
To confront homelessness, which now sees almost as many people sleeping rough in Dublin as in the ten-times bigger city of London;
To confront the crisis in childcare, which is making the balancing of family and work responsibilities almost impossible for many parents.
Mr Kenny said he would turn Fine Gael into "a campaign party which will demonstrate our anger at this neglect".
He intends to speak to each member of the parliamentary party before next Friday's vote.