The acting leader of the Progressive Democrats, Mary Harney, has committed herself to sorting out the leadership of the party in a matter of weeks but she reiterated her intention to step down.
"I am not interested in leading the party," she said on RTÉ's This Week yesterday. "My interest is in changing the health system and reforming it. I want that to be my political legacy."
Ms Harney's party colleague, Senator Ciarán Cannon, meanwhile confirmed that the Galway West TD, Noel Grealish, had restated his commitment to the party at the weekend. Mr Cannon also said the party would have a new leader by mid-March at the latest.
The Minister for Health said she did not share the views of one of the co-founders of the party, Paul Mackay, that the PDs should withdraw from Government in order to rebuild. "I see virtually no support across the party for that to happen," she said.
"We had a very disappointing election result. Everybody was devastated by that. There is nobody more than me that wants to see the party resolve the leadership position because I have made it clear on many occasions and I repeat it today that having been leader of the party for 13 years it is not something I have the capacity to take on again. I think it requires somebody new.
"The party was very, very bruised. We were on the floor. We went from having eight seats in the last Dáil, and five senators, down to a situation where we have two TDs and two senators, Fiona O'Malley and Ciarán Cannon."
Ms Harney said that more than 20 councillors attended a meeting in Galway on Saturday and although she was not present she had been informed it was a very enthusiastic meeting.
"They are determined to do everything they can to build up the party. But I do not underestimate the challenge. It is going to be very, very difficult."
Ms Harney said she had made it clear during the last election that she wanted to return to the Department of Health to continue her work of reform and that had been her focus.
"That is not to say that I wouldn't do everything I can personally and politically to assist my colleagues in the Progressive Democrats at national and local level to rebuild this party."
Asked if she still trusted the Taoiseach, the Minister said that if she didn't trust him she would have opted out of Government. "I can't remain in Government with people I don't trust," she said.
Mr Cannon told The Irish Times that at the meeting in Galway PD councillors had reiterated their belief that the party should continue operations. The councillors had also backed a motion that the leader should be drawn from among councillors or the parliamentary party rather than wider membership. This would be dealt with by the general council on February 16th, after which a two-week deadline would be set for prospective leadership candidates, with the issue resolved by mid-March.
Mr Cannon said he was seriously considering seeking the party leadership.