Fine Gael TD Pat Deering is calling on the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to clarify his leadership position at this week's parliamentary party meeting.
It comes following a difficult week for the Fine Gael leader when several back bench TDs asked him to clarify when he will resign as party leader, even the Government Chief Whip, Regina Doherty, said it would be easier for Senior Ministers to get on with their jobs if they had a timeline on when Mr Kenny intends to step down.
Reports in Sunday newspapers suggested that some party members may file a motion of no confidence in Mr Kenny following gains for Fianna Fáil in recent opinion polls.
Pat Deering, Fine Gael TD for Carlow/Kilkenny, says that the situation surrounding the vote on Mick Wallace’s fatal foetal abnormalities bill in Dáil has been hugely damaging.
The Taoiseach effectively gave the Independent members of the Cabinet a free vote on the Bill and a number them voted against the government and in favour of allowing terminations in the cases of fatal foetal abnormality.
"I don’t think anybody wants to back to the polls at this stage,” Deputy Deering said.
“I would expect that the Taoiseach would clarify the situation on Wednesday night at our next parliamentary party meeting. I think that would probably be the most appropriate place to do so at this stage.”
“We had a number of issues last week, it hasn't been a good week for us.
“In my opinion the Mick Wallace bill has been hugely detrimental to the discussions we've had over the past number of days and it's caused a huge amount of instability. Those issues have to be addressed hopefully on Wednesday night,” the Carlow/Kilkenny TD concluded.
