Criticism of Cowen met by 'stony silence'

CRITICISM OF Brian Cowen at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party last night was met by “stony silence” as the Taoiseach insisted his leadership was not “probationary”.

Mr Cowen told TDs and Senators they knew the procedures for changing the leader if that was what they wanted to do, and said he wanted to lead the party into the next general election.

“He clearly indicated it was his intention to lead the party into the next election in 2012 . . . It wasn’t a probationary leadership he had,” Government Chief Whip John Curran said.

Mr Cowen spoke for some 15 minutes close to the beginning of the meeting and got a strong round of applause afterwards, with some members giving him a standing ovation.

The meeting broke for a Dáil vote then resumed to hear from a number of deputies. Mr Cowen called for party unity when he spoke again and confirmed the Fianna Fáil backbench group, the Lemass Forum, would be incorporated into the party’s official structures.

Criticism came from Noel O’Flynn of Cork North Central and John McGuinness of Carlow-Kilkenny, although there was no direct challenge to the Taoiseach’s authority. However, Mr O’Flynn told Mr Cowen others would speak badly about him behind his back.

“He made it quite clear he was the leader, he was elected, he had a job to do and he had to get on with it; and he didn’t want to be coming back every two months about his leadership,” Mr O’Flynn said.

“I said, you promised you would improve in your communications before Easter. You did. But you still have to up your game. The people are not happy . . . you have failed to communicate the message and the decisions that have been taken.”

Mr O’Flynn said his contribution was met with “stony silence” by the meeting.

John McGuinness of Carlow-Kilkenny said he raised the topic of the backbench group, the Lemass Forum. Mr McGuinness said he told the meeting the group was “frowned upon” by the Fianna Fáil establishment, adding: “They should be embracing it, there should be room within the party for independent and different voices.”

Mr McGuinness said Mr Cowen, “in his wind-up speech”, said the Lemass Forum was doing “exceptional” work and was very important in terms of keeping information flowing through the party.

Mr McGuinness’s constituency colleague Bobby Alyward then stood up and praised Mr Cowen. There were also contributions from Beverley Flynn of Mayo, Thomas Byrne of Meath East and Darragh O’Brien of Dublin North.

Ms Flynn could not be reached last night, but sources said she suggested members should not adopt a defeatist attitude and should not be saying Fianna Fáil would be beaten in the next election.

Longford-Westmeath TD Mary O’Rourke did not address the meeting but said afterwards: “It was a very thoughtful, reflective meeting with a lot of passion and a lot of bridges crossed.”

One TD who did not want to be named said Mr Cowen said damage was being done to the party by backbenchers speaking out against his leadership. “He mentioned people without mentioning names.”

Mr Cowen said he did not see himself as a presidential-style leader but rather as someone who involved others in decision-making, sources said. Two deputies described the Taoiseach’s speech as “excellent”.

The party’s general secretary Seán Dorgan started the meeting with a presentation analysing data from recent opinion polls, which included a historically low 17 per cent in last month’s Irish Times poll.

Earlier the Fianna Fáil Senators group met and Co Kerry Senator Ned O’Sullivan proposed a motion expressing “full and unqualified” confidence in Mr Cowen. The motion was carried unanimously, Mr O’Sullivan said.

“You don’t distract the man at the helm when you are in stormy waters,” he said. “I am concerned that at a time when the Taoiseach and the Government are dealing with the greatest economic challenges we have ever seen and when our decisions, tough and all as they undoubtedly are, seem to be winning universal support in the international community, we have a continual barrage of negative comment, some of it within our own party.”