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Micheál Martin’s leadership of Fianna Fáil was not formally raised at its think-in, the Taoiseach said.

There has been speculation that Mr Martin’s leadership would be challenged or that he may move aside when Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union concludes at the end of this year.

He has been Fianna Fáil leader since January 2011 and the party recently marked its centenary.

At the Fianna Fáil think-in in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on Tuesday, Mr Martin said the two-day event was “very positive” for the parliamentary party.

Asked if his leadership had been raised during the meetings, he told reporters: “It wasn’t raised, and everyone was in good form.”

Flanked by party TDs and Senators at the media engagement, he said: “They’re all smiling at me anyway whatever that means.”

He added: “Look, it’s been a very positive two days for us as a party.

“The party is very focused on the issues, and in fairness, all my engagement with the parliamentary party all during the summer was about issues.”

Mr Martin said sessions focused on agriculture, housing, and the cost of living.

He added: “Cost of living is the number one issue and housing we have not lost sight of housing as a party.

“As far as we’re concerned, it remains the biggest social issue.

“We are making progress on it. We’re building houses at the fastest rate in Europe, double the European average in terms of house building but we need to do more given the population growth in Ireland.”

He said the public and the grassroots “want us to focus on the issues, not an endless speculation about politics”.