MINISTERS:A NUMBER of senior Fianna Fáil members moved yesterday to back Taoiseach Brian Cowen amid speculation about his leadership of the party.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said the Cabinet was united behind Mr Cowen as Taoiseach and wants to continue its work for the remainder of the Dáil term.
Speaking in his Louth constituency after a meeting with Northern Secretary Owen Paterson, Mr Ahern said ongoing speculation about Mr Cowen’s future as Taoiseach was an “unfortunate distraction”.
“We want to get on with the job that we were elected to do,” he said. “The country is facing significant challenges. These things are unfortunate diversions, but that’s life. We really do want to get on with it. We would have thought that after the initial couple of days it would have been the end of it.”
Despite everything Fianna Fáil remained united, despite the individual concerns of some backbenchers, Mr Ahern added.
Asked if Mr Cowen was the best person to lead Fianna Fáil into the next general election he said: “Absolutely, absolutely”
Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív, speaking in Galway, said he believed the reaction to Mr Cowen's RTÉ Morning Irelandradio interview last week was a "distraction".
“I’d much prefer to be devoting time to dealing with the big issues, such as unemployment,” Mr Ó Cuív said. “We all do good and bad interviews,” he said. “The idea that politicians will be tucked up in bed by 12 midnight and won’t be out working 16 hours a day is great, and I hope it happens. The reality is that we are all trying to make bits of ourselves,” Mr Ó Cuív added.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Batt O’Keeffe, speaking in Cork, said there was no question of the Taoiseach’s leadership at the moment among Cabinet members. “It’s very obvious to me that the Taoiseach is going to continue in position, the Taoiseach has obviously apologised to us as Ministers, apologised to the general public and would obviously use the occasion to apologise to the parliamentary party as well,” he said referring to Mr Cowen’s apology over his performance in a recent Morning Ireland radio interview.
Mr O’Keeffe added: “We know that he’s an extremely capable man, we work at close quarters with him on a daily basis.
“There is an uncertainty out there among people and they like and they want to be told quite clearly this is what we are about, this is what we are going to do and we’re going to bring a finality.”
Longford-Westmeath Fianna Fáil TD Mary O’Rourke said most people thought a heave was unwarranted. “Most people think that it is not a natural way of dealing with a very good person, an intelligent bright man like Brian Cowen who works really hard. They don’t want to see that happening,” she said.However, she said she wished Mr Cowen would take advice on his communication skills saying that, in interviews, he needed to “give evidence” of the articulate, bright and intelligent man he was.
“Now I understand he is what he is. He doesn’t put on anything, he’s not into show. At the same time normal communication skills can be easily absorbed and for an intelligent person very easily absorbed. And whether it goes against his grain or not to be so donning a mantle of better communication I think it is needed right now.
“If backbenchers could hear his intelligent, cogent, clear voice answering whatever questions are put to him . . . I know they would relax.”