Labor TD Alan Kelly was criticized after calling on leader Brendan Howlin to consider his position.
A defiant Mr. Howlin said he was "extremely disappointed" with Mr. Kelly's call to change, especially since he had said nothing when the two met at a funeral on Wednesday.
Speaking with the Irish ExaminerMr. Howlin said that Mr. Kelly absolutely "has no support in the parliamentary Labor Party" and the support of only a small minority of council members.
There is no other MP who supports the challenge, "said Mr. Howlin." He has the support of a minority of council members. We did not have a formal proposition for the Central Council.
On Tipp FM, Mr Kelly said that the party under Mr Howlin was irrelevant and had no connection with the people and he said he agreed with the call of party council members to change leader.
When asked if he thought it was time for Mr Howlin to go, Mr Kelly said: "I think we are in a very difficult situation, we have to change the direction of the party, we have a new vision, we need a lot more energy and we make sure that we take people with that change, and at the moment that does not happen and I do not see anything to make it happen, so it needs that important change, yes.
I agree with the councilors who have come out that we have to talk about how we are going to change the party and as part of that we have to talk about the leadership.
Howlin, who is a TD for Wexford, said it is "totally premature" to talk about change of leadership. "Most people in the company want us to go further and certainly not that we have to leave the rabbit hole of a race.Bot it, my call is simple, we do not need this distraction now and we have to unite for the good of the party . "
Party chairman Willie Penrose also expressed his deep disappointment with the actions of Mr. Kelly.
"The Labor Party has had three leaders over a period of five years," he said. "Having a fourth leader will not magically improve our polls."
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