FIANNA FÁIL:VOTERS WHO have supported Fianna Fáil in the past should "stick with the party" in tomorrow's elections, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said yesterday.
Mr Cowen also ruled out a challenge to his leadership, or an early general election, when he spoke at Fianna Fáil’s final press conference of the campaign.
“We ask all our supporters to come out and stick with the party as we implement the policies that are necessary for this country.
“We understand the short-term hardships and implications they are having, but they are in the interest of the country that we pursue them and implement them. And that is what we will do over the course of the next three years until our mandate is sought to be renewed in 2012.”
Asked if he feared a challenge to his position after the election, Mr Cowen said: “No, I am not nervous about my political future. I have a united party behind me and we are implementing the policies that are necessary for the country. There are no magic-wand solutions to the magnitude of the problems that we face.”
The challenge facing Fianna Fáil at the polls is understandable given the economic crisis: “I see it as a government having to fight an election at a particularly difficult time for the country.”
The elections, he said, are “about electing the best possible councillors for councils and the best MEPs for the country”.
“The fact of the matter is when this election is over and the votes are cast and the results are published the Government will be going on with its agenda. The Government has a term of office. It wishes to take the decisions that are necessary to get back to growth before the end of our term. That is what we are going to do.”
“We are in fact beginning to see a bottoming-out,” said Mr Cowen, who was accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin and Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey.
“We have had a very good and thorough campaign; probably the best canvass that we have seen by Fianna Fáil in local elections in local times; initially a bit slow, but thorough nonetheless,” he said.
“After these elections are over the Government will continue to implement the policies that are in place. They are working.”
