Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has sharply rebuked Waterford TD John Deasy for raising questions about his leadership if the party does not win the next election, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent.
Mr Kenny, who returned yesterday from a three-day break in Scotland, was understood to be livid with Mr Deasy and yesterday wrote him a stiff letter ordering him to remain silent.
"I have a very clear agenda of work ahead of me," he said last night. "I intend to be the next taoiseach, to remove Fianna Fáil from office and to provide this country with a new and better government.
"I expect every member of Fine Gael to use all of their time, effort and energy to achieve this objective. The rules of the party are absolutely clear on what happens after a general election. Discussion of this issue is an unnecessary distraction from the task facing the party. I have today written to Deputy Deasy in clear terms about recent comments made by him.
"I have left him in no doubt as to what I expect from him in terms of supporting the party and its objective of removing Fianna Fáil from office. I expect no further public comment on this matter."
Last night, Fine Gael refused to release the text of the letter, and Mr Deasy did not reply to a telephone call seeking his reaction. Meanwhile, Meath TD Damien English has insisted he believes Mr Kenny will be the next taoiseach, and that he had not said he was joining Mr Deasy in suggesting that Mr Kenny should resign if he failed to win.
Describing a newspaper report yesterday as "grossly misleading", Mr English has claimed he made a second call to the newspaper to emphasise he did not agree with Mr Deasy's action after hearing the paper might report otherwise.