Taoiseach Brian Cowen has claimed Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has no credible positions on the issues of the day.
Speaking at the Grangegorman site in Dublin, Mr Cowen was asked about Mr Kenny’s prediction there would be a General Election within six months.
“I think Enda has made that prediction about four times since he became leader of the party. He seems to have nothing else to speak about. We don’t have that luxury,” Mr Cowen said.
Mr Kenny had earlier claimed the debate surrounding Mr Cowen's Morning Ireland interview last week had damaged the State's international reputation.
Speaking to reporters at the National and European Ploughing Championships in Athy, Co Kildare, Mr Kenny said the Taoiseach needed to show more regard for his office and the electorate.
"When the Taoiseach speaks of respect for the office, in a way it's time for him to respect for that office himself," he said. "It's not just about an individual, this is about the international and national perception of our Government and our country and us as a people."
Mr Kenny said he hoped the Taoiseach “recovers and doesn’t get locked into that situation again”.
Mr Cowen said this afternoon the programme for government had been reviewed last year "so that we would set out until May 2012 a workable majority situation for the Government to proceed with the policies".
"That’s what we’re committed to," he said. “Mr Kenny has been announcing elections now month on month, because he doesn’t seem to have anything to say on policy, he doesn’t seem to have a credible position on the major issues of the day, but that’s a matter for him. The Government is focused on the job at hand.”
Yesterday, the Taoiseach pledged to stay in his job, saying his focus would be on providing the leadership the Government and country needs.
In a show of unity with Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, he gave a press conference on the steps of Government Buildings in Dublin hours after former chief whip Tom Kitt called for a debate on his leadership at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
“I am not a Taoiseach on probation. I am the elected leader of our party. I have the full support of my Government colleagues. We have a job of work to do. Serious challenges [are] facing our country and everyone in our party and the membership around the country wants us to get on with that,” said Mr Cowen, in response to questions about Mr Kitt’s challenge.
He was emphatic that he has no intention of resigning and he pointed to the full support he had received from his Cabinet colleagues.
He added that there were big challenges facing the country, and the Government had taken decisions with determination and with unity of purpose.“I am grateful for that. We have a job of work to do. The people out there in the country want to see the Government get on with its work,” said Mr Cowen.
He said there was a formal process in place if anybody wanted to raise the issue of his leadership at the parliamentary party but he was emphatic that the matter of his interview had been deal with.
The Taoiseach pointed to the Government’s secure position in the Dáil. “We have good colleagues in Government, we have Independent support and we have a working majority in the Dáil. So let’s get on with that,” said Mr Cowen.
Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith insisted this morning the Fianna Fáil party was united behind the Taoiseach.