Intensive canvassing for the Fine Gael leadership will continue at Leinster House today in advance of tomorrow's meeting of the parliamentary party to choose a new leader.
Although there is a growing expectation that Mr Michael Noonan will win tomorrow's vote, Mr Enda Kenny is insisting that he is close to the numbers required for victory.
His campaign manager, Senator Paddy Burke, last night said he believed Mr Kenny had enough support so far to give him 34 to 35 votes in a straight contest with Mr Noonan. There were still a small number of undecided voters being lobbied, he said. Thirty-seven votes are required for victory.
Some 23 of the 72 parliamentary members have publicly stated they will support Mr Noonan tomorrow, with a number of others stating privately that they will do so. Just 17 are publicly committed to support one of the other three candidates, with 32 undecided.
Canvassing is now concentrating on a small number of TDs, senators and MEPs who have said they have not yet decided who to support.
The new leader is likely to move the writ for the Tipperary South by-election shortly in an effort to bring an immediate boost to the party. The results of an opinion poll, published yesterday by independent company Bluebird Marketing, suggest that the party candidate, Senator Tom Hayes, would comfortably win the by-election.
The Fine Gael chairman and director of organisation, Mr Phil Hogan, said yesterday that the poll "confirms the results of a recent private opinion poll undertaken by the party".
Mr Kenny's camp also produced the results of a telephone poll yesterday which suggested Mr Kenny had slightly stronger public support than Mr Noonan. The poll was conducted by Stone Consulting, whose principal is a supporter of Mr Kenny's. Senator Burke said it was done as a gift to Mr Kenny, and would be declared by him as required in the annual declaration he is required to make as an Oireachtas member under the Ethics Act.
The poll was conducted by telephone to 145 people, 100 of whom agreed to provide information. Of those giving information Mr Kenny received the support of 29 per cent, Mr Noonan 28 per cent, Mr Jim Mitchell 22 per cent and Mr Bernard Allen 1 per cent.