Tánaiste Mary Harney has indicated her intention to lead the Progressive Democrats after the next general election as the party sought yesterday to portray a united front after a damaging leadership dispute. Mark Brennock, Stephen Collins and Liam Reid report
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell would not comment publicly yesterday on claims he has made within the PDs that he had an arrangement with Ms Harney that she would step down as leader before the next election.
Over the past week Mr McDowell has told colleagues that the time is now right for a change of leadership, a claim he only withdrew last Tuesday at a heated meeting of party TDs and senators who were vehemently opposed to the idea.
Ms Harney said yesterday she was confident she would lead the party into the next general election. She outlined to reporters her party's rule that within three weeks of every general election, the party leader has to submit himself or herself to a confidence vote by the parliamentary party.
A spokeswoman said it was understood Ms Harney had pointed to this rule "in the context of intending to put herself forward" at that meeting following the election.
Mr McDowell insisted there was no leadership struggle in his party and that he and Ms Harney were "absolutely and completely united about where the party is going".
Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Ms Harney refused to say whether the leadership issue had been raised by Mr McDowell, saying that "lots of issues were raised at the meeting".
She echoed Mr McDowell's assertion that the party was united on its electoral strategy. However, she denied there was any deal involving her stepping down at some specified point.
"The reality is there are no electoral pacts. There are no deals. We don't do that in our party. In any event the leadership of our party is not in my gift."
The party was "very fortunate to have many talented people who wish to lead our party", she said.
As the party united in an attempt to play down its divisions, Ms Harney and Mr McDowell met for lunch at Dublin's Unicorn restaurant yesterday, an engagement flagged to reporters in advance in an attempt to portray unity.
A spokeswoman for Ms Harney said the lunch was not a "clear- the-air" meeting. "The air was clear when the meeting ended last Tuesday."
However, other party sources confirmed there had been a bitter dispute about the party leadership over the past 10 days.
Well-placed party sources said yesterday they believed the row over the leadership was prompted by remarks made at or after a separate heated parliamentary party meeting last week.
That meeting saw a serious row over a policy issue, but it is understood that some remarks made at or after it enraged the Minister for Justice.
When supporters of Mr McDowell threatened that he might not run if his leadership ambitions were thwarted, Ms Harney's supporters responded by saying he would be removed from the Cabinet if he made this decision.
These threats were not made directly by either.
Party sources say Mr McDowell brought a "dossier" to Tuesday's meeting and quoted from it to back his claim of a deal and that he backed down only when it became clear Ms Harney had overwhelming backing.
Ms Harney told reporters yesterday the discussion at last Tuesday's meeting was "open and frank". A spokesman for the Tánaiste said later he would not disagree with the view that "open and frank" was code for a row.
Mr McDowell would not answer reporters' questions on whether he had claimed there was a pact between himself and the Tánaiste on the PD leadership.
"I don't want to comment at all in relation to the party's internal matters," he said.
He said he had made no threats, nor had he asked Ms Harney to step down as leader. "We're united complete as a party."
The dispute comes shortly after the temporary crisis over the State's child sex abuse laws caused by a Supreme Court ruling striking down the existing law several weeks ago.
The controversy over the speed and nature of the Government's response to the ruling is seen as having done Mr McDowell significant political damage, at least in the short term.
However, he enjoys considerable support among the wider party membership and remains a serious contender for any future leadership vacancy.