FIANNA FAIL:QUESTIONS HAVE been raised about Brian Cowen's continuing leadership of Fianna Fáil by two prominent backbenchers, speaking after the publication of an
Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showing the party at 17 per cent and the Taoiseach himself with an 18 per cent approval rating.
“Surely now, we, as a parliamentary party, have to look at the future of the leader and it must be examined in the context of the latest poll,” Cork North Central TD Noel O’Flynn said in a radio interview.
Tipperary South TD Mattie McGrath said there was a need to “seriously examine” the issue of the leadership.
However, there were strong expressions of support for Mr Cowen from backbench deputies Michael Mulcahy and Michael McGrath, while Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said there was no leadership issue in the party.
Mr O’Flynn told Cork’s 96FM that, “the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party will have to decide if he [Brian Cowen] is still the best person to continue to lead the party”.
Commenting on the poll to The Irish Times, Mr McGrath said: "It's obviously a very serious trend and this is the worst one so far. It's a major source of concern."
Asked if there was a question-mark over Mr Cowen’s leadership in the wake of the poll, he said: “There has to be, long term. Obviously he’s associated with the banking crisis and he is paying the price.
“Are we going to stumble on like Gordon Brown and then change the leader?
“I think we have to seriously examine that issue. The people want someone to blame: it’s unfortunate for him but that’s the story.”
Asked if he would be raising the issue of the leadership at the next parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, he said: “I certainly intend raising the issue of the poll, plus the expenses scandal, plus the banking reports. I also have a motion down about the dog-breeding legislation.”
Dublin South Central TD Mr Mulcahy said that the poll was, “hugely disappointing, but not surprising, given the level of difficulty the country is facing at the moment”.
However he denied that the poll raised questions about Mr Cowen’s leadership: “No. I think he’s paying the price for being honest with the people and doing the right thing, unlike the leader of the Labour Party, who is singing whatever song anyone wants to hear at any particular time.”
Cork South Central TD Mr McGrath also expressed disappointment at the poll but rejected any suggestion that it raised questions about Mr Cowen’s suitability as leader.
“Even if you were to have a change in the leadership of Fianna Fáil, you might have a change in style but you would not have a change in the substance of policy and for me the key issue is that we are implementing the right policies and I believe Brian Cowen is the best person to lead the party and the country,” he said.
He expected that the poll result would “inevitably” be raised at the parliamentary party meeting.
“Political parties are sensitive to opinion polls but to be honest with you we do have to put the interests of the country above the interests of the Fianna Fáil party, even if it means sacrificing electoral popularity.”
Speaking in Galway, Mr Ahern said that there was no leadership issue in his party. “Unlike other political parties, namely Fine Gael who change their leader because of a bad poll, there is no question of us doing that.”
He added: “It is simplistic to say it is all about one person, as some of the commentary in the last few days has about where we are today vis-a-vis where we were during the Celtic Tiger years.”
