The Tánaiste and PD leader, Mary Harney, answered journalists' questions for five minutes in Dublin yesterday. She refused throughout to say whether the leadership issue was raised by Mr McDowell.
Journalists: What is your reaction to reports in the media about a leadership struggle between you and Michael McDowell?
Ms Harney: "We had a very long meeting of our parliamentary party on Tuesday evening to discuss electoral strategy for the next election and I'm delighted to say that the party is unanimous in relation to that strategy. And that is very important to me. We are a small party. We have 13 members of the parliamentary party and we're obviously focused on our role in Government. Michael has the Justice Ministry. I have the Health Ministry. They are very busy portfolios and we're both working hard to deliver reform."
Journalists: Did Michael McDowell raise the leadership issue?
Ms Harney: "The issue of the leadership of the party doesn't arise."
Journalists: Did he raise the issue?
Ms Harney: "Lots of issues were raised at the meeting."
Journalists: So he did raise the issue?
Ms Harney: "I'm not going to comment on what happened at our private parliamentary party meeting, except to say the parliamentary party is united, unanimous in the decisions we made at that meeting on Tuesday, and I believe in any political party in our democracy that we should have open and frank discussions."
Journalists: Did you threaten to sack him?
Ms Harney: "No threats were made by either Michael McDowell or me. We don't operate on the basis of threats like that."
Journalists: Is the story in The Irish Times wrong?
Ms Harney: "I'm not going to comment on any stories in the newspaper. I'm just telling you what happened at our parliamentary party meeting. The reality is there are no electoral pacts. There are no deals. We don't do that in our party.
"In any event the leadership of our party is not in my gift. We have a college of electors that consists of the parliamentary party, the national executive of our party and councillors in our party and they will decide, when the leadership of the party becomes vacant, who is the next leader of the party. I am delighted to say we have several potential leaders in our party, and I think we're very fortunate to have many talented people who wish to lead our party and I think that's very encouraging."
Journalists: Do you believe the story could be damaging to your party?
Ms Harney: "First of all in our party - like other parties, I think the Fine Gael party for example - after a general election the leader has to put him or herself forward for re-election.
"In other words, your colleagues have to pass a motion of confidence in you as I did after the last election, within three weeks of the election. That's a very reassuring safeguard in the constitution of our party.
Journalists: Are you confident you will be leading the party into the next election?
Ms Harney: "Yes. As I said the other evening, I had the unanimous support of my colleagues in the parliamentary party."
Journalists: You are meeting Michael McDowell for lunch, where?
Ms Harney: "We want to have a private lunch, I don't think it would be a very enjoyable lunch if there was a media circus there [laughs]. We are meeting for lunch at one o'clock.
Journalists: Will you kiss and make up?
Ms Harney: "We have a good relationship and that will continue. Obviously, Michael McDowell is a very talented member of the Government.
"He's very focused on reforming the Justice Ministry and I think he's doing a terrific job, working very hard. He's also president of our party with key responsibilities relating to the organisation of the Progressive Democrats and we need to discuss obviously Cabinet business, but also party interests and we also meet on a friendly basis. We have mutual friends.
"We're friends of each other and we would meet socially as well. So there's nothing unusual about us having lunch. Our party is united. That's what's important and that's very important for me as leader of the party, that I lead a united team of people I trust and that I have confidence in, and that people are not trying to undermine each other.
"I was involved in the past in leadership heaves and I can tell you, we didn't have any heaves in the Progressive Democrats this week."