Hanafin signals leadership ambitions

PARLIAMENTARY PARTY:MINISTER FOR Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hanafin has signalled her willingness to stand for the leadership of Fianna Fáil.

Speaking before a tourism conference in Dublin yesterday, Ms Hanafin said she would “throw my hat in the ring” if the parliamentary party wanted her to do it.

She said there was “no when” to Mr Cowen resigning, and no indication of a heave or a push against the Taoiseach.

“If ever in the future there is a vacancy, and that could be a long way down the road, if members of the parliamentary party wanted me to throw my hat into the ring, then I would.”

When asked if she had leadership ambitions, she replied: “If people felt it was in the best interests of the party and I could bring something to it, if, and it is very much an if, a vacancy arose.

“I don’t see that happening in the near future because our whole focus is on the economy,” said the Minister.

Ms Hanafin added that she was very annoyed by the Green Party’s surprise decision to call for a general election in January.

“I am not sure that they have shown that they have the best interests of the country at heart, but we are just going to have to work with them over the next few months.

“This is bigger than the Green Party, and bigger than Fianna Fáil.”