A Fine Gael councillor who claimed on national television that Taoiseach-to-be Brian Cowen would devour Enda Kenny has resigned.
Sean Brown shocked colleagues when he said on RTE that Bertie Ahern's successor, appointed Fianna Fail leader today, would do a hatchet job on the Fine Gael chief.
Insisting he had been considering resigning for some time the Balbriggan councillor said today he did not consider Mr Kenny an alternative Taoiseach.
"I just think he [Brian Cowen] is going to unleash it on Fine Gael. I don't think he [Enda Kenny] is a match for Cowen," he said.
"It's an issue I feel strongly about. Enda Kenny is a lovely man, I've no problems with Enda Kenny but I just feel he isn't a person to be an alternative candidate for Taoiseach and I've felt that for quite a while now.
"The more I thought about it the more I felt Fine Gael is not for me, most definitely."
Mr Brown, a solicitor by profession, said Fine Gael was obsessed with Bertie Ahern and the Mahon Tribunal.
Describing Mr Kenny as "the nicest and cleanest politician you'll ever meet", he said there were Fine Gael front benchers like James Reilly and Leo Varadkar who were potentially stronger opposition leaders.
"Fine Gael and Enda Kenny were obsessed with the tribunals and Bertie Ahern and this has been the line that Enda Kenny has been adopting," he said.
"I just feel that now that Fine Gael have Bertie out of the way, what are they going to do now?"
Mr Brown was a member of the audience on RTE's Questions and Answers programme on Monday night when he aired his views on Brian Cowen's appointment.
He said he believed Mr Ahern's successor would do a "hatchet job" on Mr Kenny and that the Fine Gael leader should consider his position.
Mr Brown said the party's leadership was a major issue for him and he defended making the comments on national television.
"I have a big thing about that [the leadership]. I know people might be annoyed that I brought it up in the arena of Questions and Answers but they have a right to be, I'm thinking in the long run about changing the government," he said.
Mr Brown, who joined Fine Gael in 1999 and has been a member of Balbriggan Town Council for four years, said he would remain on as an independent.
He said he had not spoken to Mr Kenny prior to resigning.
PA