TRIPLE TEST FOR THE TAOISEACH

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen was today bracing himself for a triple election test which opposition parties insisted amounted to nothing less than a referendum on his leadership.

Mr Cowen again moved to play down the importance of the poll to his future, but Fine Gael and Labour top brass made it clear they scented his political blood.

Fianna Fáil was desperately trying to get its core vote out in a damage limitation exercise aimed at stemming the expected heavy loses in councils across the country and the potential disastrous loss of its precarious Dublin Euro seat.