Today's Labour parliamentary meeting is expected to feature lively debate about the party's leadership.

Reports suggest that the knives are out for Burton and that many within the party want a new face to lead Labour, but there is no clear replacement for Joan Burton should she be ousted.

Former TD Michael McCarthy says the party's recovery is the primary concern, even if it comes at the cost of Burton's leadership:

Former TD Ciaran Lynch also believes Burton needs to go, ideally as quick as possible:

Former party leader Eamon Gilmore says the future of the party should be the focus of talks, and that Burton's future is in her own hands:

There appears to be some division between those who would prefer a younger leader, and those who think Labour needs an experienced hand to guide it.

"I am of the generation that I think should step back," said Acting Minister for Education Jan O'Sullivan, while former TD John Lyons believes there are few younger options to choose from.

"Most of the new guard people - the class of 2011 - have been made redundant," he said.

One man highly-tipped for the job is Wexford TD Brendan Howlin, but he said he would only express his views among party colleagues:

Burton said yesterday there will be a "very open" discussion about her leadership at the meeting.

She said she wanted to hear what party members had to say, but there has already been a "very positive meeting of our Labour Party general council, in which people came from every constituency in the country."

Last week, Labour announced it had decided to sit out the next term in government.

The party said, "when it comes to voting for a Taoiseach, we will listen to what the various candidates have to say in terms of the package they put to the Dail; the stability of any arrangement being put forward; and the programme for Govt proposed".