The four contenders for the leadership of Fianna Fáil have put their cases for support to their colleagues today.
Ahead of a secret ballot on Wednesday and with former foreign affairs minister Micheál Martin the favourite, the candidates lobbied party TDs for votes at a parliamentary party meeting in Dublin this evening.
At least 17 of the TDs entitled to vote are not contesting the forthcoming election. Today, Galway East TD Noel Treacy became the latest to announce he would not be running.
Mr Martin faces a challenge from Brian Lenihan, Mary Hanafin and Éamon Ó Cuív at the parliamentary party meeting.
The new leader, the eighth since the party was founded in 1926, will be elected after a 2pm vote on Wednesday in the party rooms in Leinster House.
Party chairman John Browne confirmed all four contenders had been officially nominated for the leadership contest.
Mr Martin, from Cork, was proposed by Dara Calleary and seconded by Aine Brady. Having failed in a heave against Mr Cowen last week, has insisted he has the energy, passion and commitment to lead Fianna Fáil into a general election and beyond.
Dublin-based Mr Lenihan was proposed by Sean Connick and seconded by Thomas Byrne. He put Fine Gael and Labour on notice that, with him at the helm of Fianna Fáil, the election campaign will be no walkover, warning he will fight them in every corner of the country.
Ms Hanafin was proposed by Cabinet colleague Pat Carey and seconded by Maire Hoctor.
The Dún Laoghaire TD said she wants to lead a renewed movement which encourages young people and women.
Mr Ó Cuív, originally from Dublin but a Galway TD, aspires to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Eamon De Valera, founder of Fianna Fáil and the country’s first taoiseach. He was proposed by Eamon Scanlon and seconded by Michael Kitt.