TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has said he wants to remain in office to tackle challenges including the fallout from Brexit.
The Fine Gael leader is coming under deepening pressure from within his own ranks to name the date when he will stand down.
He has already said he will not lead his party into the next general election, but speaking at a press conference yesterday he refused to give a date for his departure.
"I'm focused on my job and my responsibility as leader of the country to continue in a very challenging time to deal with the preparations for what will be exceptionally difficult and challenging negotiations," he said.
The Republic will be among 27 European Union states preparing to negotiate with the UK as it leaves the bloc.
Amid criticism over his handling of allegations of a smear campaign against Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe, speculation is mounting that Mr Kenny's days at the helm of a fragile and minority coalition government are numbered.
One of the favourites to replace him, Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar, described Mr Kenny's leadership as "fabulous".
But he added: "The events of this week showed a timeline for a general election is now shorter than we might have thought.
"The Taoiseach has said he won't lead us into the next general election and I've absolutely every confidence that he will know when the right time is for himself and the party and the country to step aside."
Another of the frontrunners to replace him is Simon Coveney, Housing Minister, while rising star Simon Harris, the Health Minister, has also been named as a potential candidate.
Mr Kenny's supporters and colleagues will now be looking for a candidate to fill his sizeable reputation on the European stage as Brexit looms and the Republic needs someone at the helm of government to keep issues affecting relations with Britain, including the border, customs, trade and travel, front and centre throughout negotiations.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said another election was closer but added that Mr Kenny has a "skill set that is very valuable for the country".
The move against the Taoiseach was sparked when he was forced to correct responses over what he knew and when about the alleged smear campaign against Mr McCabe.
The leadership issue reared its head at a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday evening as the Taoiseach faced down a motion of no confidence in the Government.
Focus will now switch to whether Mr Kenny is willing to set a date for his departure and whether colleagues will give him space to attend the traditional St Patrick's Day celebrations in the White House.
Irish voters last went to the polls in February 2016 but had to endure two months of painstaking negotiations for a minority government to be agreed.
