By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith, Political Reporter, Berlin

Embattled Taoiseach Enda Kenny has told party colleagues either publicly or privately calling for him to step down as leader to “concentrate on their duties” instead of plotting to overthrow him.

However, the Fine Gael leader has once again failed to give any indication as to when he will set out plans for his departure from office, risking creating a fresh wave of dissent before a weekly party meeting on Thursday.

Speaking at a joint Brexit press conference in Berlin with German chancellor Angela Merkel after a week in which a potential back bench revolt was stamped out by senior Cabinet ministers, the Fine Gael leader said despite ongoing criticism of his time in office his party colleagues need to “bed down” and focus on their work.

And in a thinly veiled warning to a number of Cabinet members who are believed to privately want the Taoiseach to step aside sooner rather than later despite publicly backing their leader, he added ministers in particular need to “concentrate on their duties” instead of their personal ambitions.

“In respect of the Government and the party, we are in a position now where the Government is in situ.

Enda Kenny tells dissenting gov voices to "concentrate on those duties they have now", does not clarify when he will depart #iestaff #berlin

— Fiachra Ó Cionnaith (@Ocionnaith) July 12, 2016

“Every minister has a brief and a set of commitments to follow-through, so what I am interested in is that ministers have time now to bed themselves down, do the department work they have to undertake, and move the country forward.

“We have an agreement with Fianna Fáil in terms of confidence and supply, we have a Programme for Government with the Independent Alliance and the Independents with over 600 commitments and my focus is entirely on that future in making this happen.

“We have a great deal of work to do in the time ahead and I would like to think that people can concentrate on their duties in the time ahead,” he said.

The Taoiseach’s comments were made in response to a specific question on when he intends to step down as leader and when party colleagues will be informed of the schedule for a takeover before the next election – issues which he failed to answer in his response.

Press conference with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Chancellor Angela Merkel at Federal Chancellery Berlin @merrionstreet pic.twitter.com/ztxjdqV1mi

— IrelandEmbassyBerlin (@irlembberlin) July 12, 2016

The remarks – at a press conference in which Chancellor Merkel also congratulated him on his recent re-election as Taoiseach and said it is “important we continue our good co-operation” – also came before Fine Gael’s weekly parliamentary party meeting this evening, in which Mr Kenny is likely to address the dissent of recent days.

While weekend reports suggested a number of back benchers may table a motion calling for a new leader to be put in place by the end of this year due to the risk of a general election early next year, those involved in the plot confirmed in today’s Irish Examiner this will not now take place.

Almost all Fine Gael Cabinet members have stressed their ongoing support for Taoiseach Enda Kenny in recent days.

They include Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar, Housing Minister Simon Coveney, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe and Health Minister Simon Harris – all of whom have been touted as potential replacements for the long-serving Mayo TD.

One of the main dissenters, Kerry TD Brendan Griffin, today said back bench TDs have now done all they can to force the leadership issue and that any further movement “requires” ministers with ambitions to replace Mr Kenny to make their view known.