FF backbenchers urge Cowen to quit

FF backbenchers urge Cowen to quit

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is under renewed pressure to step down as leader of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party following a new opinion poll which shows a further drop in support.
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CHARLIE TAYLOR

A number of Fianna Fáil backbenchers have again called for Brian Cowen to step down as leader of the parliamentary party.

The calls come after the publication of a new poll, showing further decline in support for the party.

Speaking earlier today, former minister Mary O'Rourke described the poll findings as "awful" and expressed concern the party might be wiped out in the forthcoming general election.

According to the Red C poll on the state of the political parties, support for Fianna Fáil has fallen to its lowest ever and putting the party in fourth place behind Sinn Féin.

The poll shows support for the party has dropped 3 per cent to just 13 per cent while support for the Taoiseach is at 8 per cent.

Speaking on The Pat Kenny show on RTÉ radio earlier today, Ms O'Rourke said the party faced a "virtual wipeout" if the figures stayed at the same level going into an election.

"How can you envisage a general election with a leader at that percentage?. I don't think it will stay at that percentage but that's small comfort to us," she said.

Ms O'Rourke said she thought Mr Cowen must be reconsidering his position and wondering if it was in his best interests to continue as leader of Fianna Fáil.

Other Fianna Fáil backbenchers called on Mr Cowen to resign as party leader before the election, which is due to be held early next year.

Speaking on the same programme, former Fianna Fáil whip and minister of state Tom Kitt said while he was convinced the party would regain support and overtake Sinn Féin, he believed a new leader was necessary.

"I have been arguing within the party that firstly, we stick to our task of getting the budget through and the four-year plan but I've also argued for a change of leader," said Mr Kitt.

"Time is running out but I still think that it would be possible in January with him (Cowen) continuing as Taoiseach but not as leader of Fianna Fáil. It would be unchartered territory but it is constitutionally possible and it could be done.”

“What I'm hoping is that we would get a change of leader, (and) that we would be able to connect again with the public, which I think is something we've lost unfortunately,” Mr Kitt added.

Cork TD Noel O'Flynn, who has been one of the most vocal critics of Mr Cowen said the poll results reflected the level of anger the public felt towards the party.

“People have decided, in my view, that Fianna Fáil are not the party to lead the country after the next election and I think that what you are going to find is that between now and the day the election is called, you'll find that more and more people within the parliamentary party, including ministers, will announce their retirement.,” he said.

“The busiest department now in Dail Eireann is the one-stop shop where people are going in to make an appointment and find out about their entitlements and pensions,” Mr O’Flynn added.

Another one of Mr Cowen fiercest critics, Dublin North TD Michael Kennedy said the Taoiseach had failed to connect with the public and should therefore be replaced.

“His difficulty is that he has not unfortunately connected with the public and the public no longer see him as credible. In the future interests of Fianna Fáil we do need a new leader once the budgetary issues have been passed and are out of the way,” he said.

Tipperary South TD Mattie McGrath meanwhile said the party under the leadership of Bertie Ahern and then Brian Cowen, had become too arrogant.

“The people just don't trust Fianna Fáil any more. We didn't engage with them openly and honestly when we got into the economic crisis. The public should have been consulted. They are angry now and the only chance they are going to get is when the election comes,” he said.

“We're just too long in Government. We got arrogant and disconnected and we wouldn't listen,” Mr McGrath concluded