There were no last minute surprises as the candidates for the post of Fine Gael leader were announced this evening.
As predicted Mr Michael Noonan, Mr Jim Mitchell, Mr Enda Kenny and Mr Bernard Allen were confirmed as the "validly nominated candidates in the contest for leadership of the Fine Gael party".
Party chairperson Mr Philip Hogan said a meeting would be held with all the candidates tomorrow to clarify the voting procedure due to take place this Friday.
He said the meeting would give candidates the opportunity to discuss the direction they would like to take the party should they be elected.
Deputy Nora Owen said she pledged her support to the new leader of Fine Gael, but said Friday’s vote would be "difficult" for the 73 parliamentary party members to decide between the four "excellent candidates".
She said the "merits and policies of each candidate would be put under considerable scrutiny" by the party members, but "at the end of the day the winner will be the winner", she added.
Ms Owen, who declined to indicate whom she personally supported, said she expected that all candidates would conduct themselves "without rancour and with dignity".
She said the party was "moving forward" now and she "sincerely" hoped the vote for a new leader of Fine Gael would not be divisive.