Defiant Cowen insists he will not quit as Taoiseach in event of voter backlash

BRIAN COWEN last night defiantly insisted he would not quit as Taoiseach regardless of the scale of the voter backlash inflicted on him tomorrow.

The Taoiseach refused to view the results of the triple election showdown as a referendum on his year-long, crisis-battered, premiership.

Opposition leaders accused the Taoiseach of “arrogance”, insisting the impact of expected heavy losses for Fianna Fáil in the local, euro and Dáil by-election showdowns could well trigger a snap general election. However, Mr Cowen stated he had no need to be “nervous” about his future or a potential heave to topple him as leader because Fianna Fáil was united behind his tough economic policies. The Taoiseach brushed aside claims he had presided over a “disastrous” election campaign and said he believed Fianna Fáil would confound the opinion polls as it did during the last general election. “After these elections are over the Government will continue to implement the policies that are in place, that have the approval of both the EU in terms of our eurozone membership and which have been independently commentated upon as being in the right direction.