Opponents of Mr John Bruton in Fine Gael say they believe he will lead them into the next general election after a substantial vote of confidence from his parliamentary colleagues yesterday.
The prospect of a further challenge before an election appears to have evaporated after several senior figures who had opposed Mr Bruton in the past - including Mr Alan Dukes, Mr Charles Flanagan and Ms Frances Fitzgerald - spoke in favour of his continuing in the leadership at the meeting.
Three of the six who spoke against him emerged immediately afterwards to say the issue was over.
Significantly Mr Michael Noonan, who has opposed Mr Bruton in the past and would be seen as the leading contender to replace him, did not speak at the meeting. His silence follows his criticism at a front-bench meeting the previous day of the exclusion by Mr Bruton of senior figures such as himself from key political decision-making.
However there was no significant support for change yesterday. With the party refusing to release the voting figures, there was a dispute last night between Mr Bruton's supporters and opponents as to the size of his majority. But all agreed the margin was substantial.
Mr Bruton's supporters insisted the vote was five-to-one in favour of the leader, which would mean just 11 of the 66 votes cast went against him.
However, some supporters of Mr Austin Deasy's motion of no confidence insisted that they had won the support of "more than 15" of those present, bringing the winning margin down to three-to-one.
Mr Deasy acknowledged last night that Mr Bruton had won "a pretty handsome majority", although he said he was pleased with the "significant support" his motion had received. The leadership issue was now "over as far as I am concerned," he said.
Mr Bruton last night rejected suggestions that he and his party had been damaged by the renewed focus on the internal dissatisfaction with his leadership. He said the party had been strengthened by the "very comprehensive and clear decision". He was "absolutely convinced" his party would be in government after the next election.
Speakers in favour of Mr Bruton, notably Mr Alan Dukes and Mr Ivan Yates, argued that a change of leader would not solve the party's problems. Many speakers referred to the problems faced by opposition politicians in attempting to make themselves heard in political debate, saying this problem would remain under any alternative leader.
Mr Bruton adopted a markedly different tone yesterday to that which he took in 1994, when the last challenge was made to his position. Then seven senior frontbench members were demoted in what was seen as a warning to those who would contemplate another heave against him.
However, as the last of the 20 speakers at yesterday's meeting, Mr Bruton spoke positively of the six who spoke against him and of how he would consider carefully what they had said. Later he publicly praised their openness, making it clear that they would suffer no sanction.
The six - Mr Deasy, Mr Michael Creed, Mr Paul Bradford, Mr Billy Timmins, Mr Louis Belton and Mr Gerry Reynolds - contributed by their action to "the spirit of the party" that would ensure they were returned to government at the next election, Mr Bruton said.
Mr Deasy said the leadership issue was "over as far as I'm concerned". Mr Creed said the party would "go into the next election with the issue resolved . . . John Bruton's leadership has been reaffirmed."