John Drennan: 'Game's up for Cowen' as FF leader

John Drennan: 'Game's up for Cowen' as FF leader
But he could remain Taoiseach until party finds new figurehead

SHAREPRINTEMAILTEXT SIZE NORMALLARGEEXTRA LARGE
Also in John Drennan

John Drennan: Taoiseach still a dead leader talking
John Drennan: Fianna Fail's turkeys must vote for Budget or we'll all end up stuffed
Johm Drennan: Ireland now seen as bad debt waiting to happen
John Drennan: Sinn Fein's by-election win heralds surge to left
John Drennan: Greens insist election will be held before end of January
John Drennan Home
Ads by Google

Prize Bonds €1m Draw
Buy Online Now For The Next Draw! Plus 3,500 Prizes Won Every Week
prizebonds.ie/Buy-Online
Dublin 1-Day Coupons
Up to 90% Off the Best Stuff to do! Restaurants, Spas, Events and More.
www.LivingSocial.com
Teeth Whitening-Dub2 €180
Incl Free Topup + Oral Healthcheck By Irish Reg'd Dentists/Nurses
www.myteeth.ie
Brian Cowan - The Game
Fight the budget with this hilarious game
www.buzzhats.com
Business Insurance
Tailored Business Insurance From Established Providers. Get a Quote!
www.KeyStone.ie
By JOHN DRENNAN
Sunday November 28 2010
A major power vacuum is developing in the heart of Fianna Fail as TDs agonise over the possibility that Brian Cowen might either stay, resign voluntarily or be deposed in a post-Christmas coup.

In an interview with the Sunday Independent yesterday, Communications Minister Eamon Ryan of the Green Party said: "Even the Taoiseach appears to have been slightly released by the knowledge of an end date."

Last week, Mr Cowen emphatically refuted the claim by the dissident FF TD Sean Power that the Taoiseach knew "the game was up'' and would resign before the next election.

But in spite of the denials and the chaos any leadership heave might provoke, a broad swathe of largely Munster deputies now believe that the Mr Cowen will either go voluntarily or be made an offer he cannot refuse over the Christmas holiday period.

One high-profile minister told this newspaper that if Mr Cowen does not voluntarily resign after the Budget then it will be a case of "either he goes easy or he goes hard, but go he will''.

Unlike the Greens, who have given Mr Cowen a January ultimatum -- such has been the collapse in the Taoiseach's authority -- senior party figures now want the Taoiseach to resign the day after the December Budget.

Such is the level of anger that one minister, when asked how would the country be governed without a leader, icily replied: "Well, we haven't had a leader for two years -- so what difference would that make?''

However, there are concerns that replacing Mr Cowen could spark a period of serious fiscal and political instability.

Ironically, the unacceptability of Mr Cowen to his own party could mean that he would remain as Taoiseach but be replaced as the party leader.

"There is no constitutional impediment to Mr Cowen not remaining on as Taoiseach whilst we secure a new leader," said a source.

However, the uncertainty has been increased by the mercurial nature of Mr Cowen's own mood.

Earlier in the week, TDs were confident that "if Brian is asked, he'll step aside''. Several Deputies noted that, at the party meeting, "he was very beat up this week as a human being."

And significantly, witnesses say that when the Taoiseach was directly asked by Noel O'Flynn: "Are you going to lead us into a general election?'' Mr Cowen "did not give a direct reply''.

Some TDs are also concerned about a scenario where Mr Cowen would remain in the Taoiseach's job while a new party leader is given the task of reshaping the battered image of Fianna Fail.

One worried TD said: "So we are, if I'm right, going to have two FF leaders -- the Taoiseach and then the leader of FF proper.

"That's going to be very confusing for the public."

But the desire for a change of leadership was qualified by the growing belief that not even a change of leader would roll back the alienation of the public. Instead, some FF TDs are concerned that the party might suffer the further humiliation of seeing any new leader losing their seat.

Currently, the two of the top contenders -- Mary Hanafin and Micheal Martin -- are believed to be struggling to retain their seats