Fergus O’Dowd, one of the rebel backbenchers who spoke out against Enda Kenny this week, appeared on the Floating Voter podcast to explain his position in Fine Gael’s leadership battle.

“My loyalty is not unquestioning,” he told the panel of presenter Kevin Doyle, and INM political correspondents, Niall O’Connor and Cormac McQuinn.

“Don’t talk to me about loyalty. Loyalty is about sticking by the party and I’m not going to take a lecture from you on loyalty,” was what O’Dowd told the Taoiseach behind closed doors.

“My concern is that we have to have a plan in place for an orderly, transaprent succession to Enda Kenny. That is a fact. It is about being ready,” O’Dowd told the Floating Voter show.

As to what way he would vote if a vote of no confidence arose, the Louth TD refused to commit, ‘we will see if that day comes’, though he admited that he had never voted for Enda Kenny as leader and that he wants to see the party change its attitude to people across the country.

“We need to get back to the centre ground. I’m concerned we have moved too far to the right. Poverty, drugs, crime, housing, these are issues affecting people. We need to reach out to the people so they know that the party cares.”