The Fine Gael leadership contest enters its final phase today. The four candidates, formally nominated last night, return to Leinster House to canvass intensively before Friday's vote.
Mr Bernard Allen, Mr Enda Kenny, Mr Jim Mitchell and Mr Michael Noonan have been nominated in what acting party leader Mrs Nora Owen said last night she hoped would be a campaign conducted "without rancour and with dignity".
However, the rhetorical exchanges heated up yesterday with Mr Mitchell accusing Mr Kenny of representing "the inert and conservative side of the party".
In contrast, he maintained, he and Mr Noonan "represent the dynamic side of the party".
In response, Mr Kenny accused Mr Mitchell of being "wholly wrong and mischievous". He said he lived and worked in the most competitive Fine Gael constituency in the country which returned three Fine Gael TDs.
"Any candidate representing inertia would simply not survive politically here. From my point I seek to offer a modern and strident party committed to reform that will make a real difference to people's lives," he said.
While four candidates have been nominated, it is still not certain all will be on the ballot paper on Friday. Mr Mitchell said yesterday he could withdraw if Mr Noonan had a clear lead over him.
"If I'm ahead on Friday I'll be in the race," he said. "If Michael Noonan is ahead, he'll be in the race. We will review the situation at that point."
The party chairman, Mr Phil Hogan, will speak to the candidates today to agree procedures for Friday morning's meeting when the vote will take place. Proportional representation will be used to count the votes of the 72 members of the parliamentary party.
At the press conference announcing the candidates last night, Mrs Owen said that as acting party leader she would not be indicating a preference for any candidate, nor would she tell any candidate privately what her preference was. Mr Hogan said that as presiding officer he was in the same position.
Mrs Owen urged candidates to "deal sensitively" with all their colleagues over the next few days. She said she would pledge her full support to the new leader and she had no doubt the parliamentary party would do the same.
Mr Hogan said a decision on revealing the voting numbers on Friday would be taken at the meeting, although he would be in favour of doing so. He did not expect the meeting would be as long as the seven-hour meeting last week when the motion of no confidence in Mr John Bruton's leadership was passed.
Mr Noonan's campaign was boosted yesterday when both Mr Jim O'Keeffe and Mr Alan Shatter declared support for him. "I regard him as a competent and courageous politician with great communication skills who has the capacity to reinvigorate the party," said Mr Shatter.
"Michael as leader, in a team that includes Jim Mitchell as deputy leader, will launch Fine Gael towards a successful result in the next general election," he said.
Mr Mitchell said on RTE radio yesterday he had not authorised the private poll, conducted by MRBI, and funded by his supporters which showed him the most popular choice among all sections of the electorate. However, he said he was aware the poll had been planned and knew one of those involved. He said the poll was funded by a group of up to 30 people.
Nominations closed at 6 p.m. yesterday. Mr Allen was proposed by Mr Liam Burke and seconded by Senator Dino Cregan. Mr Kenny was proposed by Mr Michael Ring and seconded by Mr Jim Higgins. Mr Mitchell was proposed by Mr Gerry Reynolds and seconded by Senator Therese Ridge. Mr Noonan was proposed by Senator Mary Jackman and seconded by Mr Dan Neville.