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IBRC delays loan valuations, saleThe valuation and sale of IBRC loans has been pushed out by six months to November and December of this year.
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Super Blues keep double in sightsJoe Schmidt's side won their third European trophy in successive years and gave Connacht reason to celebrate also as the Westerners gained entry to next season's Heineken Cup courtesy of their neighbours to the east.
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Fianna Fáil leadership - Cowen lacks support of the people
SIGNIFICANT political implications flow from the decision of Taoiseach Brian Cowen not to step down as leader of Fianna Fáil.
Effectively, by seizing the initiative and moving a motion of confidence in his leadership by secret ballot at tomorrow’s meeting of the parliamentary party he has launched a preemptive strike against those contemplating a motion of no confidence against him.By staying on as leader, Mr Cowen has also thrown down a gauntlet to three Cabinet ministers who want his job — Micheál Martin, Mary Hanafin and Brian Lenihan.
The questions that now arise are whether his opponents can overturn the confidence motion and whether the rebel ministers have the political courage to move against him openly, thus forfeiting their ministerial seats. Individually and collectively, their dilemma is that the outcome of a counter leadership vote is far from certain. Yet, failure to challenge him will mean a damaging loss of credibility.
Despite his strong performance and positive tone yesterday, it is doubtful whether Mr Cowen can heal the growing divisions within the country’s largest political party or if he can assuage the deep sense of frustration among voters crying out for a change of government.
Above all, yesterday’s adroit manoeuvre will strengthen perceptions the Soldiers of Destiny are doing what they have consistently done — putting the health of the party before the well-being of the nation. Conveniently forgetting that as finance minister he was part of a government whose inept policies contributed to the economic crisis, Mr Cowen insists he has the interests of both the country and the party at heart.
What the public will find hard to swallow is with the economy mired in the deepest crisis since the foundation of the state, internal squabbling over the leadership of FF continues to dominate the political scene as if nothing else mattered.
With its popularity rating down to 14% in the latest opinion poll, the party faces a cataclysmic electoral outlook in the forthcoming general election. That explains why the Taoiseach, several of his Cabinet ministers and nervous backbenchers are obsessed with their own future. It is time backbenchers made up their minds about the leadership issue and for ministers with leadership ambitions to put up or shut up.
There is a compelling case for Mr Cowen to go to the country sooner rather than dragging out the election deadline until March or possibly later. It is totally unacceptable that a leader who does not enjoy the confidence of several of his own ministers and many backbenchers should continue to run the country.
Of even greater import is the fact that he lacks the support of the vast majority of those to whom he is most accountable — the people.