The Fine Gael parliamentary party has this evening endorsed a motion of confidence in leader Enda Kenny following a lengthy meeting at Leinster House.
Mr Kenny won the backing of a majority of the party's 70 TDs, MEPs and Senators, some 45 of which made contributions during the meeting. Fine Gael has refused to reveal the margin by which the confidence motion was carried.
Speaking outside Leinster House following the meeting, Mr Kenny said the exercise had been "very constructive" and "very well meaning".
He said he was "thrilled and very relieved" the motion was carried and that he hoped this was the end of any tensions "that may have been building up" in Fine Gael.
"We move on from here as a completely united party even though we had a vote on this issue. Our priority now is to have a general election as soon as possible, to have our party move forward - address the issues, concerns and anxieties that affect the Irish people in a country that is almost bankrupt," he said.
Former deputy leader Richard Bruton, who lead the challenge against Mr Kenny, said the decision of the parliamentary party had to be respected and that it was now up to the members to unite behind Mr Kenny as leader.
Mr Bruton said issues and concerns had been raised and resolved and that the party now needed to convince the public it was capable of forming the next government. Mr Bruton urged his supporters, many of which came from the party's front bench, to united and he denied his challenge had given ammunition to Fianna Fáil.
Mr Kenny announced that he would not appoint a new front bench on Monday but instead would take some time to consider the talent within the party and the suggestions arising from today's meeting before making a decision.
"I want to take some time to consider all of the talents that we have. I want to talk to lots of people, and I want to put out a team that will reflect the mood of that meeting and the recommendations that were made to me by speakers, both on my own behalf and against the motion of confidence."
Referring to his challenger, Mr Kenny said: "My relationship, as a friend of Richard Bruton's, is not broken by this. I made that clear before this vote took place, and that still stands."
Mr Bruton, who previously said it would be hypocritical of him to serve on Mr Kenny's front bench having mouted the challenge, said the matter was "not a decision for today".
Fine Gael chairman Padraic McCormack, who delivered the result of the secret ballot, said he considered the vote of confidence to be the end of the leadership issue. He said the question had "damaged the party in the short term" but said the task now was to get the party back to where it was and focus on getting Fianna Fáil out of government.
Mr McCormack expressed hope that Mr Bruton would return as finance spokesman and could serve as the next minister for finance. He refused to disclose the margin of Mr Kenny’s victory, saying only he and Senator Paschal Donohoe knew the result of the ballot and that they had been sworn to secrecy.
Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness said Mr Kenny gave a “stunning” speech to party members and described him as “a man made of steel” who had faced, and overcome, a very tough personal challenge.
She said the meeting featured strong contributions from supporters of Mr Kenny and Mr Bruton, but that Mr Kenny's passionate closing speech had drawn a standing ovation from the party members.
Ms McGuinness said she was very happy with the outcome. She did not see the way the divisions in the party had been exposed as damaging to its unity.
Former frontbencher Simon Coveney, who backed Mr Bruton's challenge, said he supported the party's decision and that his role in Fine Gael now would be determined by his leader.
Mr Coveney, who did not expect to be back in favour "anytime soon", said people who had sided with Mr Bruton had a particular responsibility to work hard to heal the wounds and support the decision of the party to endorse Mr Kenny as leader.