FF party leadership battle commences as Cowen quits

The senior politicians were once Mr Cowen’s most ardent supporters, but one will now supplant him to lead the party into the General Election on March 11 – when the party is expected to suffer its worst results in history.

The Taoiseach has vowed to stay on as head of the coalition Government until the election.

Yesterday he bowed to an onslaught of pressure and criticism from former allies and quit as party leader after an epic week of political chaos sparked by a failed leadership heave, six ministerial resignations and a botched Cabinet reshuffle.

The Greens, who threatened to bring down the Government in the row over filling Cabinet seats left empty by a string of ministerial resignations, will meet today to discuss the situation.

Opposition parties demanded Mr Cowen set an immediate date for the General Election.

Fine Gael warned it would move a motion of no confidence in Mr Cowen as Taoiseach in the Dáil next Tuesday unless he seeks the dissolution of the Dáil, with the Labour Party pressing ahead with a motion of no confidence in the Government.

Meanwhile former Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin, who last week lacked the support for a leadership heave, said he will talk to TDs about his vision for the party and country.

“I believe I have the energy, the passion and the commitment to make a difference in terms of how we organise ourselves and in terms of how we develop and formulate policies for the future,” he said.

Mr O Cuiv later revealed his aspiration to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and Fianna Fáil founder Eamon De Valera, who was the country’s first Taoiseach and third President.

“I have a certain view of what the party should stand for, has stood for, and speaking of what it should stand for in the future I believe it has to represent the ordinary people of Ireland, their values and their expectations,” said the Social Protection Minister.

Brian Lenihan, who supported The taoiseach in last Tuesday’s confidence vote, is expected to hold a press conference later today.

Despite battling pancreatic cancer, he has remained in office with the tough brief of finance.

Ms Hanafin, who voted against the Taoiseach in the heave, was last of the four senior Fianna Fáil figures linked to a leadership race.

The rebel TD claimed she warned Mr Cowen against trying a Cabinet reshuffle with an election only weeks away.

Nominations must be submitted by tomorrow lunchtime, with a vote to be taken by the parliamentary party on Wednesday.

Mr Cowen yesterday told a hastily-called press conference in Dublin that he decided to resign after discussions with his family.

He said he was not looking back on his reign with regrets and dismissed criticism of the botched Cabinet reshuffle.

After six resignations from 15 Cabinet positions, he said he believed he had a duty to name a new front bench.

But the Greens refused to back the new, short-term appointments ahead of the March election and instead forced the Taoiseach to make his remaining ministers take on extra departments. Mr Cowen took control of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Cowen said he wanted to reassure the public that the Government would still do its business despite his resignation as leader of Fianna Fáil.

“I want to assure you that the Government will discharge its duties properly and appropriately ... it does not in any way affect government business,” he added.

The Taoiseach plans to consult with his colleagues and family before deciding whether to stand in the election.