For a long time decisions had been made in Fine Gael which did not reflect the views expressed in the consultation process, Mr Michael Noonan and Mr Jim Mitchell said yesterday.
Answering questions at a press conference, Mr Noonan said: "Decisions are made which do not reflect the views expressed in the consultative process, and frequently decisions which are based on bad judgment are made".
He and Mr Mitchell would provide a real alternative as senior, experienced former cabinet ministers who understood politics very well and they were asking their party colleagues to support them.
Mr Mitchell said up to last week he was defending Mr Bruton, but they were in a position like a government defending a weak currency. Eventually the market forced the issue.
"And that's what's happened. Market forces are now exposing the weakness of John's position, and we have to act on it on behalf of the party," Mr Mitchell said.
"In the poll, the shocking poll, that was published in The Irish Times on Friday, in Dublin we got 11 per cent of the vote," he said. They would become the third or even fourth party in Dublin. Generally, they would get less than a quarter of the seats for the first time since the 1940s. "Clearly somebody has to act to save the party, and it has taken some courage," he said.
"The position is that I spoke to John Bruton yesterday evening and said to him that I would talk to him further later on, by which time he had issued a statement to the Sunday Independent which seemed to pre-empt the situation. We have sought to speak to him today, but it hasn't been possible to contact him. When it was put to him that Mr Bruton had said he would not stand down, Mr Mitchell said he told Mr Bruton the situation was very difficult and there was no more time for pretend arguments or delaying tactics.
Asked what levels of support they thought they had, Mr Noonan replied: "We think there's a clear majority for change and I think John Bruton, when he discovers that, when his own people do the count, may not continue into the vote on Wednesday."
Mr Mitchell said: "We are aware that people who we thought would be supporting John have gone to him and asked him to resign. At least one leading supporter."
They were asked if they thought that their own message could be flawed as well, Mr Mitchell said: "I think some of the messages were never agreed by the front bench. For instance, the Celtic Snail was never discussed by the front bench."
One journalist asked: "Was that the straw that broke the camel's back?"
Another said: "That's why you're coming out of your shell, is it?"
Amid roars of laughter, Mr Noonan remarked: "The second half of this conference will be at the Gaiety Theatre."
Mr Mitchell said he expected the leadership to be decided in four days.
Asked about his health, Mr Mitchell replied: "I'm in great good health." His doctor had telephoned him on Friday and told him to go for it.