MINISTER'S POSITION:MINISTER FOR Finance Brian Lenihan has declined to declare whether he will vote for Taoiseach Brian Cowen in today's confidence vote, saying he will make his intentions known before the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meets.
Mr Lenihan said the Taoiseach had told him that a majority of the party supported his leadership but he did not respond when asked whether he believed that was so. However, he welcomed the fact that the vote would be conducted by secret ballot.
He would not discuss the decision of Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin to withdraw his support for Mr Cowen, and said “no” when asked whether anything should be read into the fact that he would not declare his intentions before today.
Asked why he welcomed the secret ballot, he said it was “important” that the issue be settled in a clear way. “I discussed the matter with the Taoiseach; he has indicated to me he has majority support in the party. I think it’s very important that all of that is done in a procedure which rests the whole issue and puts the whole issue beyond doubt.”
As he arrived in Brussels last evening for a meeting of euro zone finance ministers, Mr Lenihan said he was concentrating on that engagement. “I’m here to represent Ireland at an important finance ministers’ meeting; I’ll be making clear my position tomorrow,” he said when asked whether he was supporting the Taoiseach.
“This is a European meeting, at which very important business is being transacted for Ireland; that’s what my focus is here today.
“I’m focused on my job today. I think it’s very important that everyone appreciates that the country’s business comes first in all these matters, and the country’s business for me is this meeting.
“Tomorrow Fianna Fáil are having their vote. I’m very glad there’s a secret ballot; I welcome that, it puts the whole question beyond controversy, but as I said I’ll be making my position clear in advance of the meeting tomorrow.
He declined two invitations to say what he thought of Mr Martin’s manoeuvre. “I’m not going to comment on anyone’s position; we have procedures in the party, they are being followed. I very much welcome what the Taoiseach has done in giving the parliamentary party a free, secret ballot in this matter, and I’ll be making my own position clear tomorrow.”
