COALITION PARTNERS:THE ACTING leader of the Progressive Democrats Mary Harney said yesterday that it would be inappropriate for her to comment on who should lead the Fianna Fáil party following the departure of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
But she said that whoever the Fianna Fáil party chose as its new leader, she would work with that leader.
"I have a huge personal regard for Brian Cowen. We have a good working relationship. I've been in Government with him now for almost 11 years and I think it's fair to say we've worked closely and well together, but I will work with whoever the Fianna Fáil party choose to be their leader," Ms Harney said.
Asked how confident she was about the PDs remaining in Government under a change of taoiseach, she said: "Well, the Progressive Democrats have entered a coalition with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.
"We've been in Government now with Fianna Fáil for almost 11 years. We've provided I think very successful, a very stable Government over that period and I've every confidence that the new leadership of the Government, the new leadership of Fianna Fáil, will want to maintain the successful partnership Government that's been in place now for a considerable length of time."
Ms Harney added: "I said in 1997 when the Progressive Democrats went into Government we wanted to provide stable Government for the country. I think that's particularly important at the moment when there's economic challenges facing this country."
And indicating that she wanted to continue as Minister for Health, she said: "I'm overseeing a programme of massive transformation of our health system and that's where my focus lies and that's where my focus will continue."
But in a statement yesterday, the leader of the Labour Party, Eamon Gilmore, said that the first act of the new taoiseach should be to remove Ms Harney from her portfolio and to "appoint as minister for health somebody who is capable of dealing with the critical, underlying problems of the health service".
Mr Gilmore claimed that Ms Harney had failed dismally in health and that the State now needed a minister for health with a more hands-on approach, a minister who would be "prepared to acknowledge that the HSE has been a disaster and is in need of radical reform".
Meanwhile, the Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley said yesterday morning that the Greens would work with any of the Fianna Fáil Ministers as taoiseach.
Mr Gormley said that he did not believe that Mr Ahern had been pushed into making his decision to stand down, commenting: "I think the Taoiseach made it clear yesterday that he was not pushed," but had come to the conclusion of his own volition.
Speaking in Westport, Mr Gormley said that he would "be confident the Green Party can work with whoever Fianna Fáil chooses as its leader", and he added that it would not be up to the Greens "to interfere with that process in any way".
Mr Gormley said that he got on "grand" with Brian Cowen and he did not feel that the relationship between the three parties in Government would be threatened in the absence of Mr Ahern.
"I mean you are talking about the master consensus builder, you know when you are talking about Bertie Ahern. Is that consensus threatened, I genuinely hope not."
Mr Gormley also rejected the view that his call for Mr Ahern to make a statement about his complex financial affairs, was a key factor in Mr Ahern's decision.
Repeating that the Taoiseach's decision had been a personal one, Mr Gormley said: "I always said I wasn't going to put a gun to anybody's head, I have a good relationship with Bertie Ahern and I wish him well".