THE CHALLENGE to Brian Cowen as Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach never looked like succeeding yesterday and it petered out after backbencher John McGuinness won scant support from party colleagues for his questioning of Mr Cowen’s position. But it does represent a worrying development. For at a time of unprecedented national financial and economic difficulty – where the taxpayer has just seen the potential cost of rescuing Anglo Irish Bank rise to some €22 billion – any doubt over political leadership is potentially damaging.
It also risks raising concern in international financial markets which determine how much Ireland can borrow and at what price.
The Fianna Fáil backbenchers who have been willing to wound in recent weeks – when publicly voicing their criticisms of Mr Cowen’s leadership – were afraid to strike at yesterday’s special meeting of the parliamentary party. Their reservations about aspects of the Taoiseach’s performance, including his low-key leadership style and his relatively poor communication skills, are well known. Mr Cowen acknowledged his failings in this regard and, in a lengthy response to his party critics, promised to raise his performance.
However, evidence of rising discontent within Fianna Fáil has created political uncertainty about the future stability of the Government at a critical time for the economy and the country. Those tensions may have eased given the relatively long duration of yesterday’s proceedings and the frank exchange of views. But the question is for how long?
The Government secured a comfortable 15 vote majority for its emergency banking measures on Tuesday. Its margin of victory was bolstered by unexpected support from two Independent TDs – Finian McGrath and former Fianna Fáil deputy, Joe Behan. But what political price will be paid to ensure their continued voting support in Dáil divisions? And where is the national interest if a government is forced to buy votes merely to ensure its survival?
In bitter verbal exchanges in the Dáil yesterday, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore accused the Taoiseach of “economic treason” for his handling of the banking crisis. It was an unsubstantiated political charge and by questioning both Mr Cowen’s integrity and his patriotism, Mr Gilmore almost certainly helped to bolster party support for the Taoiseach when he subsequently faced his backbench critics. The concerns of the latter are understandable even if their criticisms are not wholly justified. The re-election prospects of many are in serious jeopardy and on current poll ratings, more than one-third of the parliamentary party could lose their Dáil seats at the next general election. That is a prospect without precedent for Fianna Fáil.
In that context, many were disappointed by the unimaginative nature of Mr Cowen’s Cabinet reshuffle and by his failure to take the opportunity to re-energise the party in advance of the election. But in the face of the immense challenges he faces, potential successors will remain in the wings.