Taoiseach Micheál Martin was forced to make a series of phone calls to leave Fianna Fáil TDs after it was revealed they had held an unofficial meeting to discuss the future of the party.
Returning from a state visit to Ukraine, he quickly proceeded to appease rebel TDs who organized a meeting of 30 members of the parliamentary party.
The Taoiseach’s intervention comes as the government faces a vote of no confidence tabled by Sinn Féin over tackling the cost of living crisis.
The vote next week is on the line, with two ousted Green Party TDs saying they don’t know how to vote.
Neasa Hourigan and Patrick Costello said they are “in limbo” and the Green Party office has not been contacted.
Independent TDs are also trying to take advantage of the government’s dwindling majority by seeking leverage.
The Taoiseach’s most immediate headache, however, is the growing unease among his backbenchers, expressed in an unprecedented meeting at Leinster House on Wednesday.
The private meeting was hosted by Fianna Fáil TD’s Barry Cowen, Jackie Cahill, James O’Connor and Paudi O’Sullivan.
Only party members who did not hold office were invited to the event, which was held in Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary banquet hall.
The organizers were surprised by the attendance of the meeting, which was attended by the majority of the party’s backbench TDs and senators.
Members previously seen as loyal to the Taoiseach have openly responded to the lack of direction in the party and poor involvement with TDs and senators.
The party headquarters was also heavily criticized.
Those attending the event were told leadership would not be discussed, but sources said the meeting was the “starting gun” to find a successor for Mr Martin.
When details of the meeting became known yesterday, the Taoiseach called some of those who had been there to ask details of their concerns. Fianna Fáil sources said Mr Martin was “very civilized” in his approach to dealing with the growing dissension in his party.
“He saw the number of attendees and decided he needed to change his approach to dealing with dissent,” said a source.
Mr Martin’s spokesman said: “As a party leader, the Taoiseach is of course in regular contact with members of his party.”
The rumblings in Fianna Fáil came when Sinn Féin said it will table a vote of no confidence in the government next week. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called on Independent TDs to weigh in behind the vote.
“We’ve now had two years of what I would describe as a disastrous administration, and we’ve gone from one fiasco to another on housing and health care,” she said.
Last night Ms Hourigan said she “abhorred” going to the Dáil to vote in a way that would make it impossible for her to rejoin the party, but added: “The whip office will not communicate with me, so I feel a bit in limbo.”
Mr Costello echoed his exiled colleague’s comments but said the Green Party “should talk to us about what the terms and conditions are”.
Independent TDs who sometimes vote with the government were reluctant to pledge their support ahead of the vote yesterday.
Kildare South TD Cathal Berry will vote against the government unless she approves a plan to increase defense spending.
Waterford TD Matt Shanahan said he will make his decision over the weekend, but sectoral carbon emissions targets, yet to be announced by the government, are a “worrying” issue for him.
Roscommon-Galway deputy Michael Fitzmaurice also said he was concerned about the climate plan.
Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae said he was unable to support the government for its failure to act on the cost of living.
Independent Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick said Sinn Féin is using the cost of living as a “political football”, but has not decided how he will vote.