Jim Mitchell's and Michael Noonan's attempt to remove me as leader of Fine Gael is a serious misjudgment on their part.
Today, as the Dail reconvenes to discuss a range of important issues, Michael's and Jim's intemperate action has created major opportunities for Fine Gael's political opponents.
It has diverted the party's energies from criticism of the Government's flawed budgetary policy, its appalling mismanagement of the health services and its cowardice in the face of ethical issues.
The Fine Gael Parliamentary Party considered the issue of the party leadership at some length last November. My colleagues decided by a margin of three to one that they wanted me to lead them into the next election and onwards into government.
One opinion poll is not a sound basis for hastily reopening a decision made democratically and solemnly just a few short weeks ago.
Jim's and Michael's move is attempting to set an appalling precedent. Will the career of every future leader of Fine Gael depend on the whim of one opinion poll?
Michael and Jim were at the party meeting last November that considered the leadership issue. Neither spoke at the meeting, at which anyone could say what they thought.
They both told me they voted for me. I believe they did. But now they have panicked in the face of an opinion poll - a poll asking abstract questions of voters, voters who are not even thinking about politics.
When it comes to real polls, Fine Gael has done very well indeed under my leadership. We won nine extra Dail seats at the last general election.
We narrowly missed winning the by-election in South Tipperary last June and drove Fianna Fail's vote down to a historic low.
Once opinion polls have names of real candidates, they give Fine Gael great grounds for optimism. Last week's TG4/MRBI poll in Mayo showed Fine Gael's vote up to 56 per cent and the party comfortably holding our three seats.
Polls conducted by Fine Gael using sample ballot papers show we will do very well at the next election and reach our target of 60 seats.
From Kerry to Donegal, we are on course to regain Fine Gael seats and win new ones.
That is what real politics is about - not shadow and spin. Only by winning extra seats in the Dail can we replace the Government and implement the policies that will restore trust in politics.
I know what being Taoiseach involves. I have done the job and, I believe, done it well. I have the ability and knowledge to do it again.
I believe, therefore, that I can present a better alternative to Bertie Ahern when the Irish people have to decide who their next Taoiseach should be.
I know the job of Taoiseach needs measured decisiveness, not opportunistic knee jerks. It requires consistency and experience.
Opposition to a Government with plenty of money to spend, in boom conditions, is hard work. I know that.
Opposition parties in France, Spain, the UK and Germany are all having to work exceptionally hard.
Fine Gael, and the Irish opposition generally, is doing much better than the opposition in those countries.
IT IS through hard work that governments are replaced, not by cosmetic changes. As Taoiseach, I have substantial achievements to my name.
I ran one of the most successful EU Presidencies ever;
I introduced the new 12.5 per cent Corporation Tax regime, which set the scene for Ireland's current investment boom;
I put in place the ground rules for the talks process that led to the Good Friday agreement, including the ground rules on how to deal with decommissioning;
I achieved the lowest inflation rate in Europe, and combined that, in the last quarter I was in office, with the highest economic growth rate we had ever achieved;
In 1996, I dealt with the first BSE crisis, protecting farmers and consumers and laying the foundation for the eventual eradication of the disease;
I dealt quickly with all ethical issues concerning ministers, not letting them drag on as Bertie Ahern has done.
This is a record that Fine Gael can be proud to use in the next general election so long as it shows tomorrow that it will stick by the leader and former Taoiseach who made these things possible. I am confident that that is what it will do.